News Archive

As climate change becomes a major driver of migration, EU-funded researchers are listening to affected communities to help support fairer policies for those most at risk. These insights can support local authorities to design adaptation and migration policies.

The European Commission has released its latest EU Agricultural Outlook report, which presents the projections for EU agricultural markets until 2035. The report depicts a continued productivity growth by adapting to climate change and by acknowledging the expected change in availability and affordability of inputs.

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is urging to step up monitoring and evaluation of climate risks and vulnerabilities and to strengthen adaptation efforts in the EU. Amongst others, it calls on the Member States to set up national coordination structures on multi-level adaptation with clear criteria for the organisation and distribution of competences and responsibilities, warning that lack of clarity can lead to losses of human lives and damage to ecosystems.

The European Commission adopted the main Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2026–2027. With a nearly €5 billion estimated commitment to climate action, Horizon Europe enables researchers and companies to push the frontier for climate adaptation, circularity and industrial competitiveness. The Commission has also adopted the Missions Work Programme for 2026 and 2027. The EU Mission on Adaptation with a budget of €226 million (including two joint Mission calls) will focus on accelerating climate adaptation action, strengthening multi-level cooperation, and supporting the deployment of concrete adaptation solutions on the ground.

While 2024 was a more moderate wildfire year for the EU, it was still above the 17-year average. New data, included in the Joint Research Centre report on Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, confirms an upward trend. Facing this growing challenge will require a more balanced approach: shifting from a reactive fire suppression approach to one that includes proactive measures, such as developing integrated wildfire risk management, promoting nature-based solutions, and landscape management to reduce the vulnerability to wildfire.

The European Commission is inviting citizens, businesses, regional authorities, and all stakeholders to take part in a new public consultation on climate resilience. This is a chance to influence the EU’s future framework that will determine how Europe prepares for and responds to climate change. The public consultation is open until 23 February 2026.

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) put forward a proposal for a natural catastrophe risk awareness and prevention tool designed to help property owners reduce the vulnerability of their buildings to extreme weather events, limit potential losses and ultimately contribute to Europe’s long-term resilience in the face of climate change.

Launched under the European Commission’s 2024 Communication on Managing Climate Risks, the Reflection Group on Mobilising Climate Resilience Financing brought together key industrial players and representatives of public and private financial institutions. They address financing challenges in a context where the EU and its economy remain insufficiently protected against climate hazards. In its final report, the need for collective action to strengthen the European Union’s resilience to climate-related risks is emphasized.

The European Commission has published an interim evaluation of the EU4Health Programme, the largest and most ambitious EU health funding programme ever. With a budget of €4.6 billion over the 2021-2027 period, EU4Health has made a significant contribution to the EU’s post COVID recovery, by supporting Member States in building more resilient and accessible healthcare systems and reinforcing crisis preparedness and response.

Knowledge gaps are recognised as one of the main barriers to climate change adaptation actions. As part of the flagship projects from the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, REGILIENCE+ is calling on European Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) to respond to a Climate Adaptation Survey. The Survey aims to help to co-create the tools that the LRAs would like to see developed at the EU level and to be communicated effectively.

The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, COP30, took place in Belém, Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025. This annual conference is the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change that brings together almost every country on Earth. This conference has led to outcomes on new initiatives to support implementation and ambition, a set of indicators for climate adaptation, and a call for the tripling of adaptation finance.

The Greek National Adaptation Hub has been developed within the framework of the EU funded Integrated LIFE-IP AdaptInGR project, led by the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency of Greece. Recently, its thematic and regional pages have been improved, navigation has been enhanced, and functionalities of the geospatial tool have been upgraded. Moreover, the English version of the platform is now fully operational, broadening access for international users.

In a comprehensive analysis of climate adaptation efforts, this EU report reveals significant progress and challenges in addressing climate hazards and vulnerabilities worldwide, achieved by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy signatory municipalities. Extreme heat, droughts, and floods have been identified as prevalent climate hazards. Notably, only 67 % of high-risk hazards have corresponding adaptation actions in place. A substantial gap persists between identified risks and the implementation of actions, particularly in vulnerable sectors and populations. Policymakers are called to bridge this gap to improve resilience against climate impacts.

The Climate Atlas of Iceland, developed by the Icelandic Met Office and launched in April 2025, marks a milestone in making climate information more accessible and policy-relevant for Iceland. It will help increasing Iceland's resilience to climate change and its impacts. It provides insights into possible future changes, with the aim of increasing climate change awareness and supporting decision-making processes at national, regional, and local levels. The atlas contains climate change data and projections that can be viewed graphically through interactive features and downloaded in various formats.

The second session of the EU co-funded MountResilience Community of Practice brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss on climate change adaptation tools. The event shone a spotlight on resources, tools and networks that help mountain regions adapt to the impacts of climate change.

This report of the German Environment Agency presents the current state of knowledge on implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate change adaptation in Germany and identifies key obstacles at the municipal level. It highlights the needs and options for municipalities to act. Practical examples illustrate conflicts of interest and synergies in the implementation of NbS. In any case, a combination of strategies adjusted to the specific local context is required. The report is in German but includes an extensive summary in English.

The Climate Risk Assessment Center (Cerac) has released the first Belgian Climate Risk Assessment (BCRA). With 28 main climate- and ecosystem-related risks identified, it is a landmark study offering a comprehensive view of how climate change and ecosystem degradation are already affecting Belgium—and what we can expect in the years ahead.

As part of the EU’s Mission on Adaptation to climate change, the ARCADIA project fosters large-scale system transformations that build resilient, future-proof regions across continental Europe. It developed a Self-Assessment Scorecard, designed to help organizations gauge their progress towards transformational change, a Guide of Guidance, offering practical steps and tools for effective climate resilience and two Policy Briefs, which translate current research and on-ground experience into actionable guidance for policymakers.

The Dutch Climate Risk Portal is a new central hub for the financial sector, which provides reliable data and insights on physical climate risk in the Netherlands. By translating Dutch climate knowledge into the context of the EU Taxonomy, the portal bridges the gap between scientific data and the information needs of businesses, insurers, bankers, investors, and regulators. Developed and managed by Climate Adaptation Services, with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the portal provides a single, trustworthy entry point to consistent and transparent climate risk information. It helps professional organisations understand and manage climate risks, fostering a level playing field through freely accessible national climate data.

This interactive guide, written by the EU-funded Land4Climate project consortium, is made for professionals - including municipalities, local authorities and public administration offices. It aims to help them implementing small scale NbS measures in search of alternative or complementary funding beyond public subsidies.

The European Commission monitored and assessed progress in meeting climate targets in 2024. Regarding adaptation, significant attention is needed to prepare and implement adaptation actions in all sectors. All investment vulnerable or exposed to climate impacts must be designed to face and withstand climate risks that could materialise in their lifetime, without unacceptable loss of their value or utility.

While European countries have made substantial progress in planning for climate adaptation, and with adopting policies, the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) review of national climate adaptation actions highlights that implementation and evaluation need to be significantly strengthened to ensure actions effectively address the escalating climate risks Europe faces.

The members of the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System (NGFS), a coalition of 146 central banks and financial supervisors and 23 observers from around the world, underscore the mounting macroeconomic and financial risks of delayed climate action. This declaration was highlighted by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) as a member of the NGFS. We need a more sustainable economy with long-term transition objectives, including adaptation efforts, generating a double dividend by reducing drivers of nature degradation.

Nature-based solutions are key to reducing Europe’s growing risk of forest fires and to making forests more resilient to climate change, according to a briefing published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The briefing outlines measures for both fire prevention and post-fire restoration — such as rewilding, promoting fire-resilient vegetation, and creating green firebreaks and buffer zones. It contributes to the implementation of the EU adaptation strategy and the EU forest strategy for 2030.

The Adaptation Gap Report of the United Nations Environment Programme finds that a big gap in adaptation finance for developing countries is putting lives, livelihoods and entire economies at risk. Adaptation financing needs in developing countries 12-14 times as much as current flows.