Brussels, 15/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Over three quarters of European countries have included adaptation to climate change in their political agenda and almost all said it is extreme weather events that have pushed them to seek appropriate responses. That is the main finding of a report, National adaptation policy processes in European countries - 2014, published by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) on Tuesday 14 October. The report, carried out on a voluntary, self-assessment basis in response to a questionnaire sent by the EEA to national authorities responsible for the coordination of adaptation policies in 2013, delivers the findings of an evaluation of national adaptation policies in Europe. The survey bringing together detailed responses from 30 European countries delivers the most complete snapshot so far of adaptation to climate change policies in Europe.
The second most cited reason for developing national adaptation policies was European Union policies integrating climate change adaptation. Twenty one countries out of 30 have national adaptation strategies but concrete action is still at an early stage in many European countries. Only 13 countries are already implementing adaptation policies, according to the survey. Providing information was the most commonly-mentioned type of adaptation policy instrument, while water management was the most commonly prioritised sector for adaptation.
“This is the first time European countries' adaptation efforts have been analysed comprehensively. Attention is often on efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and for good reason. But adaptation is inevitable, so it is positive that there is now political focus on this issue across Europe. Many countries now need to turn plans into action”, stated EEA Executive Director Hans Bruyninckx.
Most countries identified barriers to taking action - more than three quarters of countries cited a lack of resources such as time, money or technologies as a barrier. However, a large number of countries also highlighted uncertainties as to the extent of future climate change and unclear responsibilities.
Despite these difficulties, half the countries reported a high or very high willingness to develop policies and to adapt at the national level. Willingness to adapt may be linked to a growing awareness of climate change, which has increased over the last five years in two thirds of the countries covered, according to respondents. (AN)