European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a series of new initiatives covering climate resilience, extreme heat, water security, wildfires and children's online safety as part of the Commission's priorities for the coming year.
In her 2026 State of the Union address, von der Leyen said the Commission will create a Climate Insurance Alliance as Europe faces a large gap between climate-related losses and private insurance coverage, with only around 25 percent of catastrophe losses currently covered.
The Commission will also prepare a European Heatwave Plan focused on early warning systems, health preparedness, urban adaptation and protection for vulnerable people, alongside a new European Water initiative addressing scarcity and infrastructure losses.
Wildfire preparedness will also be strengthened, with senior European firefighters asked to examine prevention, coordination and future capability needs, including proposals for a possible European Firefighting Fleet.
The address also announced plans for an EU Kids Act aimed at strengthening protection for children in the digital environment, part of a broader Commission programme for 2026-2027 requiring separate legislative and implementation steps.