The EU has unveiled its climate framework against its prediction that the world is on a path to warm by 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels by 2030, 2C by 2050, and 3C by 2100.

The EU Framework for Climate Resilience is designed to provide the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and manage climate risks as prolonged heatwaves and droughts, floods, dangerous wildfires and historically low water levels swept across Europe.

In economic terms alone, losses from climate damages from 2022-2025 stood at approximately €200bn.

Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Europe is warming at double the global rate. To become truly climate resilient, we need to adjust and learn along the way. Today, we are presenting a European approach to climate risks, to anticipate, to prepare for and to manage. We are ensuring that climate resilience will be included in policies across the continent, supporting investment, innovation and long-term growth.”

Adapting the EU's infrastructure and economy to future climatic conditions is expected to require investment of around €70bn per year. However, the estimated return on investments in climate adaptation could reach more than 10 times that value in avoided loss and damage.

The proposed Climate Resilience Law also provides a common reference trajectory for global warming, providing a shared baseline assumption against which Member States can assess future climate risks when making decisions. Within it, national planning obligations and instruments are simplified by the introduction of one single national strategic plan. Improved and more regular climate risk assessments will also ensure consistency and comparability between EU and national assessments.

The Commission will immediately begin implementing the Framework. As announced by President von der Leyen in her State of the Union address, the Commission will further strengthen the EU's capacity to prepare for and respond to climate extremes with a EU Heatwave Plan, a Climate Insurance Alliance, and a European Water initiative. It will also launch a PreparEU Advisory Group on disaster preparedness and an initiative to identify European 100 most climate-vulnerable territories. These initiatives are now being developed by the Commission and will be presented separately. The Commission will also propose an EU strategic plan on climate resilience in 2028 to ensure early and decisive action at EU level.

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