EU Member States recognise the importance of adapting to impacts of heatwaves, droughts, floods, heavy precipitation and changing temperatures and of mainstreaming climate change adaptation to a wide range of affected areas like agriculture, or water and disaster risk management. These are key findings of a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published today which assesses the state of national adaptation actions in 2021.
Levels of investment and听the听financing of putting in place adaptation plans听still听vary听across EU Member States, the EEA report ‘‘ found.听The assessment gives a snapshot of all听EU Member States’ national adaptation听补肠迟颈辞苍蝉听for 2021, based on听national听reporting submitted to the European Commission (under the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action Regulation).听Where possible,听the report also听compares听adaptation measures听with听earlier information to describe progress over recent years. The report also includes some data from听T眉rkiye, which is not an EU Member State but is听a听member of the EEA.
Progress on adaptation action听
National听adaptation actions and overall institutional arrangements taking adaptation into account have been further developed and strengthened in many听EU听Member States听to better steer adaptation policies across different levels of government and sectors. Ensuring climate change adaptation priorities are considered in a broad range of policies听has also progressed.听
Many of the听measures听reported by听EU Member States听are about increasing听capacity, specifically, activities that support awareness raising, capacity building and training, inclusion of climate change in education, and support adaptation at regional and local levels.
Adaptation is being听increasingly financed听but听several issues remain, including听how to measure adaptation finance, as most of these measures also听support other economic,听social听and environmental objectives听and are not always initiated for adaptation only.听A听few Member States听have听dedicated national adaptation funds for financing the implementation of national adaptation plans,听the review found.听
Other听key听findings听
- Legal requirements or political commitments to institutionalise periodic updating of听climate risk assessments听are in place in several Member States. However, their systematic, comprehensive and regular renewal is the exception rather than the rule.听
- Most countries still rely on rather听soft policies听without听legally-binding听commitments, and on voluntary, informal, non鈥�hierarchical cooperation. More and more Member States are using national climate laws to have more stringent legal instruments available to enforce their adaptation objectives and strategies.听
- The听social justice aspects听of adaptation are not yet integrated in all countries. However, these increasingly important aspects aim to address the uneven distribution of climate risks, which affect vulnerable groups the most.听
- Effective, multi-level听governance听embodies a variety of听networks听and a set of collaborative mechanisms across subnational governments. Those networks and collaborations play an essential role in supporting local governments to develop and implement their local adaptation strategies and action plans.
- Monitoring, reporting and evaluation听are mainly used for the following three objectives: to gain a better understanding of policy implementation, to identify climate risks, and to measure the effectiveness of policies in reducing climate change impacts, risks and vulnerabilities.听
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