Key facts
- The European Commission is shifting focus from climate mitigation to adaptation following a deadly heatwave.
- Extreme temperatures have become Europe's principal climate hazard, with heat stress linked to 75% of climate-related fatalities.
- The EU executive acknowledged that current policies are insufficient to address the speed and scale of climate change.
- A new climate resilience strategy will be launched in the fourth quarter.
- The Commission stressed that responsibility for climate adaptation must be shared with local and regional governments.
- European buildings were identified as particularly ill-suited to rising temperatures.
Following a brutal heatwave that claimed 1,300 lives across Western Europe, the European Commission has announced a pivot towards climate adaptation, acknowledging that current policies are failing to keep pace with accelerating climate change. EU officials indicated that heatwaves are expected to continue this summer and stressed the need to shift from reacting to disasters to preventing them.
A new, comprehensive climate resilience strategy is slated for launch in the fourth quarter of the year, aiming to empower the European economy at national, regional, and local levels. The Commission highlighted that extreme temperatures have become the continent's primary climate hazard, with heat stress accounting for approximately 75 percent of climate-related fatalities in Europe. The 2024 European Climate Risk Assessment underscored the inadequacy of existing policies and suggested that the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit will likely be surpassed.
An EU official described the situation as a "wake up call" demanding a "profound shift in the philosophy of policies" to move from recovery to anticipation and prevention. The Commission emphasized that significant adaptation measures, such as installing air-conditioning and solar panels, are regulated at regional or local levels, necessitating a shared responsibility. While Brussels can set building standards and provide funding, implementation largely depends on member states and local authorities.
European buildings were specifically identified as ill-suited to rising temperatures, with most being old, inefficient, and designed to retain heat. The bloc has already allocated around €100 billion for building renovation between 2021 and 2027. Local and regional leaders, including Kata Tüttő of the European Committee of the Regions and Mohamed Ridouani of Energy Cities, are urging for increased EU funding to support adaptation infrastructure and ensure cities and regions remain central to investment efforts.