In 2021, the European Union and its 27 member states committed €23.04 billion in climate finance from public sources to support developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Council approved the figure, in preparation for the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27), which will […]
LIFE: Climate Change Mitigation
Expected Outcome Efficient delivery of the quantified objectives by end of the project. Objective Projects under the Climate Change Mitigation Priority Area should contribute to the socially just and sustainable transition towards a climate neutral economy by 2050 and to reaching the EU emission reduction target for 2030 to at least 55% compared with 1990 […]
Lessons in managing the risk of floods and droughts
Weather extremes are becoming more common. A recent study looks into the reasons why risk management is usually ineffective when dealing with a second more hazardous event, and takes home lessons from two success stories. Risk management has reduced human and economic vulnerability to floods and droughts, but their impact is still increasing in many […]
What is carbon neutrality and how can it be achieved by 2050?
With the European Climate Law, the EU is committing to carbon neutrality by 2050. What does that mean in practice? Climate change is already affecting the entire world, with extreme weather conditions such as drought, heat waves, heavy raind, floods and landslides becoming more frequent, including in Europe. Other consequences of the rapidly changing climate […]
Ten recommendations on how to better protect cultural heritage from the impact of climate change
Coinciding with the European Heritage Days 2022, which this year revolve around the topic of sustainability, the Commission publishes today a report on strengthening cultural heritage resilience to protect it from the effects of climate change. The information gathered by a group of experts is alarming, as climate change is directly and indirectly threatening all forms of cultural […]
Climate change: new rules for companies to stop EU-driven deforestation globally
EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation MEPs want the rules to also cover pigmeat, sheep and goats, poultry, maize, rubber, charcoal and printed paper products Human rights and the rights of indigenous people also to be respected An area larger than the EU was lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020 To fight […]
ECB takes further steps to incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has decided to take further steps to include climate change considerations in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy framework. It decided to adjust corporate bond holdings in the Eurosystem’s monetary policy portfolios and its collateral framework, to introduce climate-related disclosure requirements and to enhance its risk management practices. […]
The EU’s ecological transition must be grounded on a strong social acceptability
At the request of the Council of the European Union, the EU’s assembly of cities and regions has adopted an opinion on the environmental imperatives and social acceptability of the ecological transition. The European Committee of the Regions has greenlighted the proposals of the rapporteur Hanna Zdanowska (PL/EPP), Mayor of Lodz, which puts forward a series of […]
How to protect vulnerable groups from climate change?
Climate change affects all Europeans but vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, low-income groups and people with health problems or disabilities, are the most affected. One in ten European schools and hospitals may also be at flood risk and about half of those facilities in cities are within intense urban heat islands. A European […]