Spain Is Using Defense Budgets to Combat Climate Change Effects
Europe’s rush to rearm in support of Ukraine has led Spain to also bolster its climate defenses.
The Disaster Relief Military Unit respond to flooding in Benetusser, Valencia, on Nov. 2.
Photographer: Manaure Quitero/AFP/Getty ImagesTakeaways by Bloomberg AI
As Europe races to ramp up defense spending in support of Ukraine, one country is showing how newly beefed up military budgets could help fight the growing climate crisis at home.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced last month that 17% of this year's €23 billion ($26.2 billion) military spending would go toward natural disaster relief. While Germany earlier approved massive spending for defense and climate, Spain is the first European country to explicitly direct such a sizable portion of its new military expenditure to climate resilience programs.