As climate change continues to spur record-high summer temperatures, it is clear that the EU is underprepared to face the increased disaster and mortality risks that these temperatures bring. The EU’s Copernicus climate monitoring service and the World Meteorological Organization noted that the EU’s July 2023 heatwave caused 41% of Europe to be classified as being under strong, very strong, or extreme heat stress. The largest portion of Europe has fallen into these conditions on record.
In July 2023, different areas of Italy reported an increase in death of 7% more than the average for that time of year due to the increased risk of death that extreme heat causes for those who have cardiovascular diseases, the elderly, and those whose jobs require them to work outdoors.
Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent. Within the EU, countries in the Mediterranean region have generally been the most impacted by heat stress. In 2023, parts of Spain, Italy, France, and Greece experienced up to ten days of extreme heat stress, classified as the temperature outside feeling approximately 115ºF. In these instances, governments and members of society must take immediate action to avoid more serious health complications such as heat stroke.
Flooding and wildfires have also been damaging manifestations of the increased heat caused by climate change. In August 2023, Greece suffered from the largest wildfire in the EU on record. During Greece’s wildfire, more than 140,000 hectares of land burned across the country, hundreds of structures were demolished, and there were over 20 fatalities. Flooding in Slovenia in 2023 affected 1.5 million people. Severe flooding in Slovenia on August 3 and 4 alone caused three individuals to lose their lives and thousands of individuals to have to evacuate their homes. Bridges were destroyed, and 16,000 households had their power supply interrupted.
The problems associated with rising heat conditions are most prominent in cities, as buildings and roads retain heat while reduced vegetation and bodies of water limit cooling potential. This is particularly problematic given that 75% of Europeans live in cities.
The economic cost of extreme weather conditions is also high. According to the European Environmental Agency, between 1980 and 2022, weather and climate-related extremes cost the EU Member States 650 billion euros, with a cost of 52.3 billion euros coming from 2022 alone.
The EU has various mechanisms in place to try to adapt to rising temperatures, with its primary mechanisms being its Adaptation Strategy and its European Climate and Health Observatory, which aims to anticipate and minimize the health threats caused by climate change. The EU’s Adaptation Strategy framework includes three main components: promoting action by Member States, promoting better-informed decision-making, and promoting adaptation in key vulnerable areas, such as coastal areas, and in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. In order to guide vulnerable sectors in climate-proofing, the EU has created policies like its Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy.
“Nature-based solutions” will be important when confronting increased heat. A study published by the scientific journal The Lancet found that increasing tree coverage to 30% in cities could prevent approximately 40% of deaths related to urban heat islands.
In 2023, the EU launched its 3 billion trees pledge to plant 3 billion additional trees by 2030. However, the efficacy of this pledge is questionable as it predominantly relies on grassroots initiatives to initiate additional tree planting and does not include government oversight. The European Commission states on its webpage that the 3 billion trees pledge “the Commission will not check the planted trees but rely on a Declaration of Honour signed by the participating organization or individual.” The European Commission also relies on the European Environmental Agency to operate the counting and monitoring online platform called Map My Tree.
This highlights a more general pattern within the EU where the most effective solutions and adaptation measures occur nationally and locally. For example, as part of Portugal’s LIFE LUNGS project, approximately 240,000 plants will be planted around Lisbon in 2024 to strengthen Lisbon’s resilience to rising temperatures. The LIFE LUNGS project is co-financed by the EU and the Municipality of Lisbon. In Toulouse, France, a similar project titled the LIFE Green Heart project is working to reduce the local temperature by 3ºC on average during heatwave events on an area of 30 hectares located on the Ile du Ramier in Toulouse. In order to achieve this, Toulouse is increasing the green space area by 15 hectares using adapted plants and planting methods, consolidating green and blue infrastructure to restore biodiversity, and more.
Other examples of measures the EU is taking to adapt to extreme heat are the LIFE ASTI project and the LIFECOOLCITY project. The LIFE ASTI project involves creating an urban heat forecasting system in Rome, Thessaloniki, and Heraklion. As part of the project, weather monitoring stations have been installed in these cities, and a warning system has been set up to inform citizens when the temperatures outside might be dangerous to their health. Citizens can access this information through a mobile app. The LIFECOOLCITY project involves the creation of two IT systems for climate adaptation. One of these systems is called the “Europe” system, which assesses green infrastructure throughout the EU, while the other is called the “city” system, which is running in Warsaw, Poland, to determine where natural solutions are needed most in the city. Depending on the data gathered through this assessment, the EU plans to plant more vegetation or create greener infrastructure in areas with the most risk.
In the EU, the creation and implementation of adaptation strategies primarily fall under the jurisdiction of Member States with support from EU governing bodies. The majority of the EU’s Member States have prepared National Adaptation Strategies that they implement with EU funding assistance. The EU has also created a Climate ADAPT online platform on which users can access and share data and information on expected climate change in Europe, the vulnerability of regions and sectors, EU national and transnational adaptation strategies and actions, and more.
Thus, the EU governing bodies’ primary role in adapting to rising temperatures is pooling information that Member States can utilize when creating and implementing their adaptation strategies and providing funding for Member States’ adaptation measures through funding sources like Horizon Europe, the LIFE Programme, and the Cohesion Fund. Given the EU governing bodies’ more passive role in adapting to extreme heat, additional monitoring and oversight of national adaptation strategies, as well as the implementation of consequences for Member States who do not comply with adaptation strategies, would be beneficial in ensuring that the social and economic costs of extreme heat do not continue to rise in the EU drastically.
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard European Union Manager Brittany Demogenes.
Learn More Resources:
https://floodlist.com/europe/slovenia-floods-august-2023
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030/3-billion-trees_en
Image Courtesy of: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/07/europe/europe-hottest-summer-climate-intl/index.html