Is Europe on the right track towards climate resilience? To answer this question, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published two reports on 24 October.
The ‘Trends and projections in EUROPE 2023’ report analyses efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, promote renewable energies and improve energy efficiency. Since 1990, GHG emissions have fallen by 31% and renewable energies will account for 22.5% of energy consumption by 2022. However, primary energy consumption has only fallen by 16% since 2005, and major challenges remain, particularly in agriculture, transport and construction.
The second report, ‘Status of reported national adaptation actions’ in 2023, presents adaptation actions at EU Member State level. It highlights the growing integration of climate risk assessments into national policies and the significant progress made since 2021. However, governance and financing remain obstacles to the effective implementation of adaptation strategies.
The increased risks associated with extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts and floods, mean that responses must be more frequent and more intense. As a result, national adaptation strategies and laws are being developed, signalling a positive shift in policy. Support for coordinated action at sub-national level is emphasised, with a need for collaboration and structured financial support through multi-level networks and mechanisms.
The future of Europe faces challenges such as water shortages, now recognised as a major risk by many countries. The mobilisation of EU funds is essential to finance adaptation initiatives, which highlights the need for a unified European climate adaptation strategy to collectively tackle these major environmental challenges.
Read the reports: https://aeur.eu/f/9dn ; https://aeur.eu/f/9do (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)