With May 2024 marking the 12th consecutive month of record temperatures (see EUROPE 13424/22), the European Environment Agency (EEA) has reviewed its latest thematic reports, including the Climate Risk Assessment (see EUROPE 13368/11), ahead of another summer of potentially extreme weather events, and has set out its expectations for the next European parliamentary term.
Following the European elections, the new Commission must set its strategic priorities for the next five years. For several months now, civil society and industry (see EUROPE 13433/7) have been calling on the EU to continue its commitment to the climate and the energy transition, as part of the European Green Deal.
The EEA also hopes that the recommendations drawn up over the last few months and years will find a prominent place in the EU’s strategic agenda over the coming years.
According to Blaž Kurnik, head of the EEA’s Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Group, speaking to the press, it is still too early to tell: “Let’s see what will come out in the next policy cycle, when the priorities will be defined by the European Commission, but also with the EU institutions”.
However, he believes that current climate risks cannot be ignored. In his view, there is also a sufficiently strong political consensus on the need to invest in climate resilience for economic development, growth and competitiveness.
“If Europe, as a continent, achieves climate resilience faster than other continents, this is an economic and societal advantage. I hope that this message will be well understood in the next policy cycle”, he emphasised.
Although the seasonal forecasts for this summer are still uncertain, the EEA points out that, based on the signals of recent years, there is indeed an increase in the number of extreme events affecting the European continent.
Economic losses, largely due to extreme events during the summer, have broken records over the last three years. In 2021, Belgium and Germany were hit by major floods, and 2022 was marked by numerous forest fires, severe drought and heat waves.
The EEA estimates that economic losses in 2023 will be similar to those of the previous two years, at over €50 billion. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)