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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's speech at the Inaugural Convening of the Women Public Sector Climate Leaders Network Brussels, 14 October 2026 Good morning, I am delighted to be part of today's inaugural event. And I'm delighted to be sharing a room with such inspirational and impressive leaders. Mary Robinson – the first female president of Ireland and founding member of ...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's speech at the Inaugural Convening of the Women Public Sector Climate Leaders Network Brussels, 14 October 2026 Good morning, I am delighted to be part of today's inaugural event. And I'm delighted to be sharing a room with such inspirational and impressive leaders. Mary Robinson – the first female president of Ireland and founding member of the Elders – once said that that climate change is a man-made problem that requires a feminist solution. In that case, I am excited about the potential of this group. And, after this past summer, I'm sure we can all agree how urgent this is. Climate change and environmental breakdown are already taking a massive toll on our economy, our food and energy systems, our health and more. I see it in the tens of thousands of excess deaths this summer. In the broken water cycle and the drought that has gripped much of Europe. In extreme heat, dry fields and lost harvests. In flooding and devastating wildfires. In broken supply chains and shrinking rivers. The economic cost is staggering — extreme heat alone cost an estimated 180 billion across the EU this summer. And it leaves us with no doubt about the need to act –decisively and collectively. That starts with protecting the bedrock of our society and economy – healthy water bodies . healthy soil, and healthy ecosystems. Functioning ecosystems are also one of Europe's most important assets for climate resilience. Healthy wetlands and free flowing rivers act as barriers to drought and flooding. Diverse, healthy forests are less prone to fire. Green cities protect the most vulnerable from heatwaves. Pollinators and rich soils give us food security. So, we all need to do more to protect and restore nature. Not as romantics, but as realists. As people who understand that to secure our future, we must secure the conditions that make it viable: like clean water and air. And, as people who recognise that this is an urgent necessity, but also, a massive opportunity. Climate action is central to economic transformation and to economic resilience. We have seen this time and time again. And we have heard it from leaders and experts all over the world. From President Von der Leyen to Christiana Figueres, former head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . From Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics, to Mark Carney – who once described climate action as the greatest commercial opportunity of our time. And from Nicholas Stern, author of the landmark report, The Economics of Climate Chage, who says that growth can only be sustained if it is environmentally sustainable. That's why the European Commission is taking concrete action to protect our most precious assets. We're implementing our Water Resilience Strategy -- investing in infrastructure, improving efficiency, strengthening drought management, and boosting innovation. And President Von der Leyen's recently announced Water Initiative will take this work to the next level. Our Nature Restoration Regulation aims to protect and restore the building blocks of our economy, food systems and energy security. And it asks Member States to identify synergies with climate mitigation, adaptation and disaster prevention. Our upcoming Circular Economy Act will speed up the transition from a wasteful economy to one that is regenerative and resilient. Every tonne of raw materials we save, and every product or material we re-use or recycle, strengthens Europe's economy, boosts our competitiveness, and reduces environmental consequences. And in the Clean Industrial Deal, we have a plan that combines competitiveness with decarbonisation. These are ambitious goals – but I'm sure you agree that now is the time for ambition. And we are backing them with substantial investment. For example – 67 billion for water resilience from EU funds, together with another 15 billion from the European Investment Bank. We have also proposed that a significant portion of the next EU budget be spent on climate and the environment. But policies do not implement themselves. And this brings me to the role of women political leaders. When women lead, action follows. We see this in corporate performance – companies with more women at board level deliver better profitability and more transparency. We see it in peace and security -- peace deals last longer and are more stable when women are involved. And we see it in local governance – studies show that women often lead to more inclusive, equal, collaborative and effective governance. I believe the same can be true of women leaders and climate action. This is especially important because climate change amplifies existing gender inequalities and has a disproportionate impact on women and girls. So, as women leaders, we have added responsibility, but extraordinary potential. Our task is to break down silos. To connect nature with climate adaptation and mitigation. Water resilience with economic policy. And circularity with competitiveness and energy security. Leadership means bringing together governments, regions, cities, businesses and citizens. Making the economic case for environmental action. And ensuring that no one is left behind in this transition. Because the choice is not between environmental protection and economic growth. It's between investing in resilience today or paying a much higher price for vulnerability tomorrow. If we restore our ecosystems, build a resilient water cycle, and transition to a truly circular economy, we are not simply protecting the environment. We are protecting Europe's prosperity and building the foundations for sustainable growth for decades to come. Now, this room is full of knowledge, innovation and ideas. So, I am eager to hear your views. SPEECH/26/2168 <@rel_link@>
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