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| European Climate Adaptation Newsletter | Issue March 1, 2022 | |
| EU policies and EEA activities | |||
1. Urgent need to adapt to massive impacts of climate change highlighted in the latest IPCC report The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest report on the impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities related to climate change, the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. One of the report’s main findings is that climate change induced by humanity is already impacting nature and people more intensely, more frequently and over a wider geographical area than previously thought. The report’s findings reinforce the need for Europe to become more climate resilient and prepare for the inevitable impacts of the climate crisis. << Read more |  © IPCC | ||
2. EU Mission 'Adaptation to Climate Change': updated work programme and info day recordings available The EU Missions information days, held on 18 and 19 January 2022, presented new calls for proposals under the recently updated Work Programme of the EU Mission 'Adaptation to Climate Change'. Prospective applicants were given specific information on the Work Programme topics, funding opportunities and timelines. << Read more |  © European Commission | |
3. Economic losses from weather extremes in Europe reached around half a trillion euros over past 40 years Extreme weather events like storms, heatwaves, and flooding accounted for economic losses of around half a trillion euros over the past 40 years and led to between 85,000 and 145,000 human fatalities across Europe. Less than one-third of these losses were insured, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) analysis of economic losses and fatalities from weather and climate-related events. |  © Tony Gallicchio / Climate Change PIX-EEA | |
4. Climate-ADAPT strategy 2022 – 2024 released The new EU Adaptation Strategy, published in 2021, states that the European Climate Adaptation Platform, Climate-ADAPT, is currently a key reference for knowledge on adaptation, with a view to it becoming the authoritative European platform for adaptation. After consultation with all relevant Climate-ADAPT stakeholders in 2021, the European Commission and the European Environment Agency published the Climate-ADAPT strategy for the next 3 years. The strategy describes the priorities and actions needed to meet this new ambition. << Read more |  © EEA | |
5. The European Investment Bank and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts agree to leverage Copernicus for smart climate adaptation The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out a framework for cooperation on the enhanced use of Copernicus Earth observation data. As part of the Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025, the EIB committed to substantially increase climate adaptation efforts and ensure that all the operations it supports are adapted to current weather variability and future climate change impacts. The new cooperation agreement with ECMWF will support it in achieving these objectives. << Read more |  © Copernicus Programme | |
6. Conference on the Future of Europe: citizens' recommendations debated On 21 and 22 January 2022, the Future of Europe Conference Plenary took stock of the 90 recommendations made by, among others, two European Citizens' Panels and national Citizens' Panels covering adaptation to climate change in Europe. The debates revolved around the recommendations from the two European Citizens' Panels that have finalised their work, in which some 200 Europeans of different ages and backgrounds met. << Read more |  © European Commission | |
7. Policy brief: 'Looking back at the 5th European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA 2021)' This paper looks in retrospect at ECCA 2021, organised in May and June 2021, and discusses the key messages of this conference. It also explores how Europe can support adaptation around the world, which was the topic of discussion during a COP26 side-event that was co-hosted by ECCA 2021. << Read more |  © European Commission | |
8. LIFE platform meeting: Boosting awareness and engagement on climate action In October 2021, the EU LIFE Programme held a special online platform meeting to encourage the European Climate Pact’s implementation. LIFE climate action projects, also covering adaptation to climate change, have a lot in common with the European Climate Pact’s objectives. LIFE projects staff, NGOs and other stakeholders from across Europe united to discuss how best to support the European Climate Pact. << Read more |  © Fokke de Jong | |
| European Climate and Health Observatory | ||
9. Europeans see climate change as top challenge for the EU Nine out of 10 young Europeans agree that tackling climate change can help improve their own health and well-being, while 84% of those aged 55 or over agree. Almost every second European (49%) sees climate change as the main global challenge for the future of the EU, according to a special Eurobarometer on the Future of Europe << Read more |  © docman / Freeimages.com | |
10. Global long-term mapping of surface temperature shows intensified intra-city urban heat island extremes The Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) increases the risk of heat-related human illnesses and mortality. Previous global studies analysed this phenomenon aggregated at city scale or over seasonal and annual time periods, while human impacts strongly depend on shorter term heat stress experienced locally. Results published in the journal ‘Global Environmental Change’, show that across urban areas worldwide over the period 2003-2020, 3-day SUHI extremes are on average more than twice as high as the warm-season median SUHI. << Read more |  © Fokke de Jong | |
11. Green space in European cities is key to well-being, but access varies High-quality green and blue spaces in cities, like parks, riverbanks and coastlines are crucial for health and well-being, in particular for the elderly, children and people on low incomes. A European Environment Agency briefing shows that access is not equal, and that cities in the north and west of Europe tend to have more green space than cities in southern and eastern Europe. << Read more |  © Antonio Farto / Climate Change PIX-EEA | |
12. European Innovation Council Horizon Prize on Early Warning for Epidemics: Commission awards €5 million to winning project The European Commission launched a prize to reward the best Earth observation-based prototype to forecast and monitor vector-borne diseases. The winner of the €5 million European Innovation Council (EIC) Horizon Prize on Early Warning for Epidemics is Greece-based project EarlY WArning System for Mosquito-borne Diseases (EYWA). The EYWA project transforms scientific knowledge into a decision-making tool, contributing significantly to combatting and controlling the threat of mosquito-borne diseases. << Read more |  © EYWA | |
13. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment contributes tot he international approach to climate change and health A special edition of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) magazine on climate change and health showcases the knowledge and advice that is contributing to solutions for health-related climate impacts at local, regional, national and international levels. Featured topics in this edition include: international approach to health effects of climate change; five questions about climate change and infectious disease; greener streets in Dutch cities; public focus on wind turbines and health. << Read more |  © Mert Kahveci / Unsplash | |
14. Three new health related case studies published on Climate-ADAPT Three case studies on health related to adaptation to climate change were recently published in the Health Observatory: ‘Nurses Climate Challenge Europe: A campaign to engage health professionals on the impacts of climate change on health’, and ‘Climate Crisis and Health: Education of health professionals for Transformative Action’ and ‘Communal action group to control mosquitoes — Upper Rhine Plain, Germany’. << Read more about Nurses Climate Challenge Europe |  © bmarques88 / FreeImages.com | |
| Climate-ADAPT – new features | ||
15. Climate-ADAPT supported by a new European Topic Centre Climate-ADAPT is jointly managed by the European Commission (DG CLIMA) and the EEA. A new consortium of experts of the European Topic Centre on Climate change adaptation and LULUCF (ETC CA) is now supporting the EEA in the operational management of Climate-ADAPT with new expertise by maintaining the Climate-ADAPT database and web content, supporting Climate-ADAPT’s dissemination and its monitoring, reporting and evaluation, and supporting IT-related work. << Read more
|  © European Topic Center | |
| Research and assessments | ||
16. ETC Technical paper released about assessment frameworks of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction Nature-based solutions (NbS) play an increasing role in both adaptation and disaster risk management. This is also recognized within several global and European agreements and policies. This technical report, published by the European Topic Centre on Climate Change Adaptation, provides a concise overview of available NbS assessment approaches in the context of adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction. It is based on information from literature and selected European cases. << Read more |  © Barcelona’s City Council | |
17. Global Risks Report 2022 The 17th edition of the Global Risks Report of the World Economic Forum identifies tensions that will result from diverging trajectories and approaches within and between countries and then examines the risks, such as climate action failures leading to extreme weather events (described in Chapter 2), that could arise from such tensions. This year’s report highlights the implications of these risks for governments, businesses, and individuals. << Read more |  © Fokke de Jong | |
18. Policy paper released on nature-based solutions and global climate protection The German Environment Agency released a policy brief with findings from a study examining the role of NbS for global climate protection, including considering their relevance for adaptation to climate change. It provides a critical assessment of global mitigation potentials of NbS in forests, grasslands, and terrestrial and coastal wetlands and provides recommendations for international climate policy. The results show that the potential of NbS to mitigate emissions is probably overestimated in the scientific literature due to various factors. << Read more |  © Norbert Kerekes / Climate Change PIK-EEA | |
19. Improving water management and resilience to extreme weather events: TEACHER-CE Toolbox released The Interreg funded TEACHER-CE project (joinT Efforts to increase water management Adaptation to climate CHanges in central EuRope) has launched the CC-ARP-CE tool as the project’s main output. This online platform aims to support stakeholders of water management in integrated strategies and actions to adapt to climate change and to prevent and reduce the associated risks for the Central part of Europe. << Read more |  © TEACHER-CE project | |
20. Rainy days harm the economy Economic growth goes down when the number of wet days and days with extreme rainfall go up, according to a study published in Nature. Rich countries are most severely affected with their manufacturing and service sectors hardest hit. Analysis of data from more than 1,500 regions over the past 40 years shows a clear correlation and suggests that intensified daily rainfall driven by climate-change from burning fossil fuels will harm the global economy. |  © Max notquitemax / Unsplash | |
21. Coastal landfill and sea level rise: an international study There is concern that waste disposal sites along European coasts pose an increasing risk to the environment through the potential release of waste into the sea and onto beaches as a result of sea level rise. The purpose of this scientific publication is to assess the need for research on the management of waste storage sites located on the coast. << Read more |  © Fokke de Jong | |
| Transnational, national and local activities | ||
22. Final report from the Stepping Up Knowledge Exchange between Climate Adaptation Platforms (KE4CAP) project now available Web-based climate adaptation knowledge platforms play a vital role in providing access to high-quality information essential to support adaptation action. By facilitating a series of knowledge-exchange activities between 30 platforms around the world, the KE4CAP project, which was funded by the European Commission, has created an active community of practice with members sharing insights and ideas to help deliver the best possible support for platform users. The report provides a synthesis of all project activities and outputs and is aimed at informing developers and operators of adaptation knowledge platforms. << Read more |  © KE4CAP project | |
23. Two new publications help cities adapt to and mitigate climate change In its role as part of the Covenant of Mayors, ICLEI Europe has developed two publications to help local authorities implement effective climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. The first publication draws on the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, among other strategic documents aiming to forge a climate-resilient Europe by 2050. The second publication covers multi-level governance of climate action. << Read more |  © WageningenUR | |
24. Scientific opinion paper on Urban Greening Plans published To systematically bring nature back to cities, the EU Biodiversity Strategy calls upon cities with over 20,000 inhabitants to develop Urban Greening Plans (UGP). The German Environment Agency and ICLEI have formulated concrete recommendations for a guideline on Urban Greening Plans that should support cities to design and implement UGP. << Read more |  © SMariluz Fernandez, My City/EEA | |
25. Blauer Kompass 2022: new edition of yearly Adaptation Award launched in Germany The ‘Blauer Kompass’ Adaptation Award is the highest state award in Germany for climate adaptation projects, organised by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), and the German Environment Agency (UBA). The aim of the competition, which runs from 18 January to 25 March 2022, is to present solutions for preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change, such as heat, droughts and severe rain. The awards ceremony will be held on 16 September 2022. << Read more |  © BMUV & UBA | |
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