EU Heads of State or Government will discuss the 2028–2034 EU budget on 15 and 16 October. The Irish Presidency’s proposal would reduce it by €159 billion, 8% below the European Commission’s initial proposal. Salud por Derecho warns that these cuts would weaken Europe’s ability to prevent the health impacts of climate change and respond to wildfires, floods and health emergencies. The main reductions affect the energy transition, research, international cooperation and the instruments used to respond to disasters.
Almost 80% of the proposed cut is concentrated in three areas. Funding for competitiveness and research, which includes investment in the energy transition, would fall by 13%; international cooperation by 17%; and EU administration by 9%.
The proposal would also cut EU solidarity actions in response to natural disasters by 55%, remove an €8.7 billion reserve for unforeseen emergencies and reduce the Union Civil Protection Mechanism by 35%. This mechanism funds preparedness for wildfires, floods and health emergencies.
With fewer resources available at EU level, responding to these crises would increasingly depend on Member States reprogramming funding from their own National Plans that had originally been allocated to other policies. The reduction would therefore affect both investment aimed at preventing climate-related harm and the resources available to deal with its consequences.
Meeting the EU’s climate commitments requires sufficient resources. Better public transport, energy-efficient home renovations and reductions in industrial pollution can prevent respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and ease pressure on health services.
Extreme heat shows why these measures are needed. An estimated 62,775 heat-related deaths occurred in Europe during the summer of 2024. In Spain, data from the Carlos III Health Institute indicate that more than 5,400 deaths were attributable to high temperatures between 21 June and 23 September 2026. Older people, people with chronic conditions and those living in poorly adapted homes are among the groups most exposed. They are also more likely to have fewer resources to adapt their homes or protect themselves during periods of extreme heat.
Since 1980, extreme weather events have caused economic losses of more than €560 billion in Europe. Pressure on health systems adds to this burden. According to estimates reported by the European Investment Bank, climate change could increase demand for healthcare by 0.5% each year. Cutting preventive investment now could lead to higher health and economic costs in the coming years.
In June, Salud por Derecho and other health, environmental and social organisations called for at least 50% of the next EU budget to be allocated to tackling climate change, protecting nature and reducing pollution.
The Irish Presidency’s proposal moves away from that goal and has already been rejected by the European Parliament, whose consent is required for the budget to be adopted. We call on Member States to use this week’s negotiations to reverse the cuts and secure sufficient, stable funding to reduce pollution, prevent disease and protect the people most vulnerable to climate change.
Read the document prepared by Salud por Derecho, with data, charts and further context.
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Photo: António Costa, President of the European Council, meets the MFF contact group on 14 October 2026 in Brussels. European Union.
