News Archive

The latest publication of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) aims to enhance the knowledge of national statistical offices on current and future information demands related to climate action. The publication uses the reporting mechanism under the Paris Agreement to examine how official statistics and data are provided for climate change mitigation, adaptation, just transition, climate-related costs, transfers, and financial flows. For each of these topics, it describes the policy context, showcases what the national statistical offices can offer now, identifies gaps and limitations, and provides recommendations on how to better meet user needs, while informing the public. The publication was prepared by a dedicated UNECE Task Force between and endorsed by the Conference of European Statisticians.

In order to mitigate the current climate impacts and to take precautionary measures to reduce future climate risks, the Federal Government adopted the German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change 2024 (DAS 2024) in December 2024. With the new national climate adaptation strategy, the Federal Government is fulfilling a key obligation under the Federal Climate Adaptation Act. The strategy contains 33 measurable targets for adaptation to the impacts of climate changes and specifies over 180 measures for its implementation. The climate adaptation targets are intended to reduce the key climate risks for Germany according to the Climate Impact and Risk Analysis 2021 (KWRA).

The EU-funded Horizon 2020 project REACHOUT produced a practical guide on how to use storytelling as a climate service. The methodology, Climate Stories, provides tools and recommendations for communicating complex models, results and scientific concepts in a way that connects personally and emotionally with target audiences.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) published a seasonal lookback at the summer of 2024. It has been the warmest summer on record for Europe with substantial heatwaves, record high sea surface temperatures and European rivers that were either exceptionally low or high river flows.

The newly launched Sea level projection tool is an interactive web platform designed to visualize and understand future sea level scenarios worldwide. Developed as part of the EU-funded PROTECT project, this tool combines data from the latest IPCC reports and regional models, making it an invaluable resource for researchers, policymakers, and educators.

The Spanish Council of Ministers approved paid leave up to four days for workers in Spain if they are unable to get to their workplace due to extreme weather. It was trialed in areas affected by the DANA weather event at the end of October and will now be rolled out nationwide.

According to the latest Joint Research Centre (JRC) report on Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa 2023, the 2023 wildfire season ranks among the EU's worst in over two decades, fuelled by climate change. Fires devastated vast areas, threatening ecosystems and lives. As fire risks rise, Europe must prevent and prepare for intensifying wildfire seasons.

The Climate Portal for Türkiye, developed by the Directorate of Climate Change with financial support from the European Union and technical support from UNDP Türkiye, was launched in November. It will support decision-making processes and increase climate change awareness. The Portal includes a national climate change database and GIS infrastructure for spatial data to assist performing climate change vulnerability and risk assessments.

The EU Horizon 2020-funded LOCALISED project has created an Integrated Database through extensive research and the harmonization of existing climate action resources. This database serves as a detailed, comprehensive, and reproducible repository of climate measures and tools. It includes 191 adaptation measures and is designed to be extendable, making it a valuable resource for future climate action efforts. The database is available for download as an Excel file, accompanied by a user-friendly guide from LOCALISED.

This dashboard supports on-going work on measuring progress towards climate resilience at European level by presenting existing knowledge on how to measure various aspects of adaptation at all levels of governance. It also introduces a guiding classification that could be used to group and further develop indicators relevant to the European level.

The Climate-ADAPT country profiles dashboard has been updated with a new and more interactive design. The dashboard makes it possible to compare adaptation policy information, reported in 2023, across multiple countries or explore detailed insights through each country profile.

The Eco-social water tariff of Dunkerque, France is a measure to address the challenge of water scarcity and water accessibility with an approach that ensures access to safe drinking water to low-income groups. The tariff protects them from financial burden resulting from increases in water prices. The measure led to a reduction in the average water consumption per household, tackling the increasing issue of water scarcity.

A revival and strengthening of the Cyprus Initiative on Climate Change, adopted in 2022 by ten countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) at COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, was recently announced by the President of the Republic of Cyprus. The announcement was made during the Climate Crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East international conference, organized in Cyprus this past September.

To assess EU citizens’ awareness of and support for the European Union's activities, the Eurobarometer surveys monitor the evolution of public opinion in all 27 EU Member States. A new Eurobarometer survey shows that almost two-thirds of citizens (65%) believe they need more information to prepare for disasters and emergencies. EU citizens express particular concerns about extreme weather events (such as storms, droughts, heat/cold waves) and floods.

In October 2024, local governments, policymakers, experts, and stakeholders gathered in Barcelona for the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub International Annual Conference (EPAH) to showcase sustainable solutions to energy poverty. Two key projects, LIFE ReHABITA and CoolToRise, are helping vulnerable households reduce energy bills and improve comfort. LIFE ReHABITA supports energy-efficient home renovations across five European countries, benefiting over 500 families. Meanwhile, CoolToRise addresses summer heat by promoting energy-saving measures and creating cool spaces in communities. Together, these projects emphasize the need for affordable, sustainable adaptation options to combat energy poverty and build resilience in the face of climate change.

The 9th Ministerial Conference of FOREST EUROPE, held on October 1st and 2nd near Bonn, resulted in the key decision to establish FoRISK, a new collaborative platform based at the European Forest Institute. This platform is designed to enhance forest resilience across Europe. Ministers stressed the need for strong collaboration to ensure the long-term resilience and adaptability of Europe’s forests.

The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) published a new report titled "Municipal Climate Change Adaptation: Assessment, Influencing Factors, and Leverage Points." The report combines the latest climate research with practical literature on municipal climate adaptation, transformative change, and change management. It is important to note that research on strengthening the climate resilience of small and medium-sized municipalities, especially through transformation-based strategies, is still in its early stages. Please note that only the abstract is in English, the full report is published in German.

The Knowledge Hub on Sea Level Rise (SLR), a joint effort of JPI Climate and JPI Oceans, has spent the past two years conducting a thorough analysis of SLR and its implications for European coastal regions. It provides European policymakers, researchers, and the public with a clear overview of the challenges and impacts of sea level rise across Europe. The Hub also includes a detailed catalog of adaptation measures for coastal planning, offering valuable insights to support informed decision-making and action.

The EU-funded ScienceUs project invites legal entities from EU Member States or Horizon Europe-associated countries to apply for funding to support initiatives related to the EU mission on "Adaptation to Climate Change." Successful applicants will receive financial support, networking opportunities, and expert guidance. The application deadline is 6 January 2025.

The European Investment Bank's (EIB) annual Climate Survey found that nearly two-thirds of respondents in Belgium recognize the need to adapt their lifestyles due to climate change. Many believe that investing in adaptation now will help avoid higher costs in the future.

The Slovak Environment Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic, launched a national level platform dedicated to climate change adaptation. The aim is to use this platform as a communication and information channel. It contains sections for experts as well as for curious citizens who can find here e.g. infographics or the latest adaptation news. Summary information is available in English

The European Commission is proposing amendments to three EU regulations to ensure that EU funds can be quickly mobilised in support of post-disaster recovery. These proposals come as a direct response to the floods affecting Central and Eastern European countries and wildfires in Portugal in September 2024.

Every year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) brings together many of the world’s top climate scientists to look at future trends in greenhouse gas emissions and provide potential solutions to the challenge of global warming. This year, the 15th edition of the Emissions Gap Report finds that nations must deliver dramatically stronger ambition and action in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions.

In 2023, storms battered the Hauts-de-France Region in France and the Aa river delta was flooded. This experience revealed how vulnerable the low-lying region is to climate change. The institutions in charge turned to EU-funded Interreg Europe to explore adaptation options to build resilience against both floods and droughts. This work led to a peer review study from Belgium, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. As part of this work, water management governance, the possibility of using nature-based solutions, such as meadow areas and flood plains, were discussed and shared with stakeholders from across the region.

The Technology Executive Committee (TEC), the policy arm of the United Nations Climate Change Technology Mechanism, is committed to boost cooperation on climate technology deployment to adapt to climate change, especially in regions hit hardest by the climate crisis. Countries should integrate technology considerations into their national climate plans, for instance by realizing early warning systems in support of risk-informed climate resilience policy and action. The TEC met recently in Bonn, Germany to highlight recent successes to scale up climate action through technological innovation.