News Archive
Policy brief on integrating climate services into cities’ municipal planning
25 Oct 2023Climate services have proven to be an important aid for informed decision-making on climate adaptation in Europe. However, there is a general concern that climate services are not successful in reaching the last mile toward user implementation. This policy brief from the EU funded REACHOUT project shares results on co-developing knowledge and information, packaged as climate services and tools that support the process of climate resilient urban development.
Destination Earth - New web page informs on how a Digital Twin of the Earth will support climate change adaptation actions
13 Oct 2023Destination Earth (DestinE) is a flagship initiative of the European Commission and a cornerstone to boost Europe's digital capabilities in support of actions addressing climate change impacts. The purpose is to model, monitor, and simulate natural phenomena, hazards, and related human activities. Destination Earth, implemented by ECMWF, ESA, and EUMETSAT, and governed by DG CNECT, is working on the creation of the digital twin of the Earth system with the first two thematic digital twins: Climate Change Adaptation and Weather-induced Extremes, due to launch as part of the DestinE system in the summer of 2024. Their ground-breaking interactive features will assist users in designing accurate and actionable adaptation strategies. This new website informs about the development process and timeline.
Taming wildfires in the context of climate change: the case of Portugal
12 Oct 2023The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) launched a report that provides an overview of Portugal’s wildfire policies and practices. It also assesses the extent to which wildfire management in the country is evolving to adapt to growing wildfire risk under climate change. It complements the previous OECD report “Taming Wildfires in the Context of Climate Change” which provides a global assessment and outlook on wildfire risk in the context of climate change.
Drought Risk Atlas with novel approach to assess drought risks and support drought management
12 Oct 2023The European Drought Risk Atlas provides for the first time a comprehensive assessment and mapping of drought risks and impacts in the EU for a global warming of 1.5, 2 and 3 degrees. The Atlas uses an innovative approach to address the complex characteristics of drought hazards, risks and impacts. The Atlas reveals that the current levels of drought risk are significantly high, with average annual losses posing both economic and environmental threats. The atlas aims to support the development and implementation of drought management and adaptation policies and actions across the European Union.
Climate-ADAPT country profiles offer updated information on national adaptation actions
02 Oct 2023In March 2023, EU Member States complied with their second mandatory reporting of national adaptation actions under the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, following the requirements of the first implementing regulation. Additionally, EEA member countries outside the EU were encouraged to voluntarily report on adaptation efforts. Based on this 2023 governmental reporting, the Climate-ADAPT country profiles offer a structured overview of each country's adaptation actions with links to public submissions.
LIFE peatland restoration projects meet up to boost climate action
21 Sep 2023The LIFE Platform Meeting held in April 2023 in Berlin between two LIFE projects has brought collaboration for the restoration of threatened iconic peatlands. Denmark's LIFEraisedbogs and Marches Mosses BogLIFE in the UK are committed to restoring peatlands, vital for biodiversity, water conservation and retention, flood protection and tackling climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Most forests are less able to cope with hazards under climate change
21 Sep 2023Climate change is weakening forests around the world. Increased climate variability and water shortages have made forests in warmer regions less able to recover from natural and anthropogenic disruptions. The study, led by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, provides new evidence of climate change’s effects on forests in Europe and around the world. It stresses the need to adopt ‘resilience thinking’ – managing the environment for resilience – if we are to solve forest management challenges in times of rapid climatic change.
The geography of future climate risk: Climate ranking of Norwegian municipalities
18 Sep 2023The Norwegian Research Centre on Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation (NORADAPT) has developed the first comprehensive climate ranking of all Norwegian municipalities. Covering 12 indicators, NORADAPT has gathered data on expected climate and societal changes, and compared these data with actions the municipalities are taking to adapt to climate change. This provides a picture of the total climate risk for Norwegian municipalities in the future.
Severe drought: western Mediterranean faces low river flows and crop yields earlier than ever
01 Sep 2023A new report by the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC)’s Copernicus Global Drought Observatory on drought in the western Mediterranean reveals the extent of the water shortage hitting the region. The severe drought is reducing soil moisture and river flows, and stunting plants and crops during their crucial growing season.
Knowledge exchange to build resilience: what cities can learn as they adapt to climate change
31 Aug 2023Throughout the Covenant of Mayor’s Policy Support Facility (PSF) twinning programme, eight municipalities from Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Germany were paired together to offer opportunity to exchange on best practices, lessons learnt, and to evaluate what could be applied in their city regarding developing adaptation strategies and building resilience to the adverse effects of climate change.