EU Adaptation Strategy
- Policy
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In 2013, the European Commission adopted an EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, welcomed by the EU Member States. The strategy aims to make Europe more climate-resilient. By taking a coherent approach and providing for improved coordination, it aims to enhance the preparedness and capacity of all governance levels to respond to the impacts of climate change.
The EU Adaptation Strategy focuses on three key objectives:
- Promoting action by Member States: The Commission encourages all Member States to adopt comprehensive adaptation strategies and provides funding to help them build up their adaptation capacities and take action. It also supports adaptation in cities through the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy initiative.
- 'Climate-proofing' action at EU level by further promoting adaptation in key vulnerable sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and cohesion policy, ensuring that Europe's infrastructure is made more resilient, and promoting the use of insurance against natural and man-made disasters.
- Better informed decision-making by addressing gaps in knowledge about adaptation and further developing the European climate adaptation platform (Climate-ADAPT).
Evaluation of the EU Adaptation Strategy
The Commission published an evaluation of the strategy in November 2018.
The evaluation was accompanied by a public consultation from December 2017 to March 2018 (page available in most EU languages).
The analysis resulted in a report on lessons learned and reflections on improvements for future action, accompanied by a staff working document presenting the evaluation in detail.
Key findings of the evaluation
The evaluation shows that the strategy has delivered on its objectives, with progress recorded against each of its eight individual actions. The report, nevertheless, outlines how Europe is still vulnerable to climate impacts within and outside its borders.
Since 2013 it has become clearer that international climate action, as enshrined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, must acknowledge and tackle ongoing and projected impacts at 1.5ºC or 2ºC global warming levels.
Adaptation can and should be a powerful ally of sustainable development and disaster risk reduction efforts. EU policy must seek to create synergies between the three policies to avoid future damage and provide for long-term economic and social welfare in Europe and in partner countries.
The strategy has been a reference point to prepare Europe for the climate impacts to come, at all levels. The Commission will continue working towards its objectives.
The evaluation also suggests areas where more work needs to be done to prepare vulnerable regions and sectors.
Adaptation Preparedness Scoreboard
The November 2018 evaluation package contains:
- assessments of each of the Member States' national adaptation strategies (or the process leading to those strategies, when they are not yet adopted)
- summaries of each of these assessments, in English and in most national languages
- horizontal assessment of the 28 country fiches.
- Documentation
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2018 Evaluation Package
- COM(2018) 738 - Report on the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy
- SWD(2018) 461 - Evaluation of the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change
- SWD(2018) 460 - Adaptation preparedness scoreboard – Country Fiches
- (The summaries of the country fiches are available on the policy tab in English and most national languages)
- Consultation Synopsis Report
Evaluation process
- Evaluation Roadmap
- Consultation strategy
- Report, and presentations from the first targeted stakeholder workshop (April 2017)
- Report, agenda and presentations from the public consultation meeting (January 2018)
- Online public consultation
- Evaluation support study report and annexes
EU Adaptation Strategy Package
- The EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change
- 30/07/2013 - SWD (2013) 299 - Principles and recommendations for integrating climate change adaptation considerations under the 2014-2020 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund operational programmes
- 18/06/2013 - Council conclusions on the EU Adaptation Strategy
- 16/04/2013 - COM (2013) 216 - An EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 131 - Summary of the Impact Assessment
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 132 - Impact Assessment Part 1&2
- 16/04/2013 - COM (2013) 213 - Green paper on the insurance of natural and man-made disasters
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 133 - Climate change adaptation, coastal and marine issues
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 136 - Adaptation to climate change impacts on human, animal and plant health
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 137 - Adapting infrastructure to climate change
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 138 - Climate change, environmental degradation and migration
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 135 - Technical guidance on integrating climate change adaptation in programmes and investments of Cohesion Policy
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 139 - Principles and recommendations for integrating climate change adaptation considerations under the 2014-2020 rural development programmes
- 16/04/2013 - SWD (2013) 134 - Guidelines on developing adaptation strategies
Other related documents
- Citizens' summary: EU strategy on adaptation to climate change
- 16/04/2013 - Non-paper Guidelines for Project Managers: Making vulnerable investments climate resilient
- IP/13/329 - Strengthening Europe's preparedness against natural and man-made disasters
- MEMO/13/334 - Questions and Answers: EU strategy on adaptation to climate change
- MEMO/13/335 - EU strategy on adaptation to climate change - Media resource sheet
- Studies
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Studies
- 2014
- 2013
- Methodologies for climate proofing investments and measures under cohesion and regional policy and the common agricultural policy – Identifying the climate risks related to rural areas and adaptation options
- Methodologies for climate proofing investments and measures under cohesion and regional policy and the common agricultural policy – sectoral fiches Cohesion policy and adaptation
- Background report to the preparation of the Impact assessment on the EU adaptation strategy – part I
- Background report to the preparation of the Impact assessment on the EU adaptation strategy – Part II (results of stakeholders' consultation)
- 2012
- 2011
- "Climate Proofing" of key EU policies – Final report Task 1: Assessment of the most significant threats to the EU posed by the changing climate in the short, medium and long term
- "Climate Proofing" of key EU policies – Final report Task 2: Identification of the most appropriate measures that could address each threat, for implementation in the time frame 2013 – 2020
- "Climate Proofing" of key EU policies – Final report Task 3: Recommendations on priority measures for EU policy mainstreaming on adaptation
- Application of economic instruments for adaptation to climate change
- 2009
