EU proposes strategy to prepare for climate risks

The European Commission presented a plan to prepare Europe for climate risks such as heat, drought, floods and wildfires.

The proposal is for the European Union and its member countries, with action also intended at local level.

The Commission says Europe is warming at twice the global rate, increasing the need to anticipate and manage climate impacts.

A proposed Climate Resilience Act would ask EU countries to assess risks and plan prevention using shared basic assumptions, while leaving many specific protections to national governments.

A European Climate Viewer would help users see which places and infrastructure, such as railway routes, may face particular hazards.

The Commission estimates that climate-related damage cost about €200 billion from 2022 to 2025.

The initiative aims to limit future harm, but the sources do not give a timeline for the proposed act or describe the next steps.