EU Unprepared for Climate Extremes: Urgent Action Required

The European Union faces an urgent need to bolster its defenses against increasingly severe climate events, as stated by its independent advisors on Tuesday. The continent's rapid warming has resulted in economic damages that cost billions each year, highlighting an essential investment gap in climate resilience.

Despite setting ambitious emission reduction targets, the EU has struggled to adequately adapt to the climate changes already underway, the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change noted. The board's chair, Ottmar Edenhofer, pointed to a lack of coherence, coordination, and budget support as key issues impeding progress.

The advisers urge the EU to implement comprehensive strategies addressing a 2.8 to 3.3°C temperature rise by 2100. These strategies should include adaptive infrastructure policies, early warning systems, and broadening insurance coverage to mitigate economic losses. A new 'climate resilience' strategy will be proposed later this year following several costly weather disasters.