Heat waves, forest fires, floods: According to climate researchers, the EU urgently needs to prepare more for the risks associated with climate change.
02/17/2026, 04:3302/17/2026, 04:33
Above all, the deployment needs to be better coordinated, warns the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change in a report.
Climate extremes are also increasing in Europe (pictured: severe floods in Spain in 2024).Image: keystone
“Weather and climate-related extreme events are already causing heavy losses across Europe,” said the German advisory board chairman Ottmar Edenhofer, according to a statement.
“Extreme heat alone has led to tens of thousands of premature deaths in recent years.”
In addition to the damage to ecosystems, there would be economic damage averaging around 45 billion euros per year.
Dangers could worsen further
These dangers are likely to worsen, according to the Copenhagen-based advisory board. Europe is warming up about twice as fast as the global average – the effects are noticeable in all regions. In addition to climate protection, climate adaptation is crucial.
The advisory board proposes several measures to make the EU more resilient – including “binding and uniform climate risk assessments”. He also recommends a clear, common “vision for a climate-resilient EU by 2050”, the mobilization of public and private investments and the anchoring of the issue in all policy areas. The EU should prepare for various future scenarios and continually monitor and evaluate climate adaptation measures, it said. (sda/dpa)