Greek Climate Crisis Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis travels to Madrid on Wednesday for high-stakes talks on civil protection, seeking to align strategies with Spain as both nations confront a new era of climate-driven disasters.
The two-day working visit aims to cement a crisis-response alliance between the Mediterranean partners, who have both grappled with devastating wildfires and floods in recent years.
Mr. Kefalogiannis will meet with Spanish Vice President Sara Aagesen Muñoz and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez to discuss synchronizing prevention and emergency response protocols.
A key focus of the trip is Spain’s specialized military capabilities. Mr. Kefalogiannis is scheduled to visit Torrejón Air Base to inspect the Military Emergency Unit (UME), a dedicated force for disaster relief.
There, he will tour aircraft hangars and discuss rapid activation procedures with UME Commander Lt. Gen. Francisco Javier Marcos Izquierdo.
The minister will also receive briefings at Spain’s General Directorate for Civil Protection on the country’s National Emergency Monitoring and Coordination Center.
The mission underscores the urgent push for interoperability among southern European states. As climate volatility creates simultaneous emergencies across the region, Athens and Madrid are moving to share resources and best practices to safeguard their populations from increasingly frequent extreme weather events.