COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Report on the implementation of the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EU Climate Action Progress Report 2023
Date: 2023-10-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Climate Action, European Commission
Subjects: EU Emissions Trading Scheme, EU environmental policy, adaptation to climate change, carbon neutrality, environmental cooperation, forestry policy, greenhouse gas, investment, land use, pollution control measures

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.10.2023  SWD(2023) 338 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Report on the implementation of the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL EU Climate Action Progress Report 2023 {COM(2023) 653 final} - {SWD(2023) 339 final}  
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF  
THE EU STRATEGY ON ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE 

Introduction 

In February 2021 the European Commission adopted a new EU Strategy on the Adaptation to Climate 
Change1. The need to update the previous strategy, which dated to 2013, was apparent: the physical 
impacts  of  the  climate  crisis  were  intensifying  and  the  need  for  transformative  action  to  reduce 
vulnerabilities to those impacts was evident.   

The strategy sets out an ambitious path across an exceptionally broad spectrum of policy areas. It is 
conceived as a decadal document, outlining clear principles for enhancing resilience to the  impacts of 
climate change  and for managing the associated risks. The path signposted by the strategy is relevant 
to  the  EU  level  and  beyond;  it  notes  that  adaptation  is  an  all-of-government,  all-of-society  effort. 
Realising the 2050 vision of a climate-resilient EU, fully adapted to the unavoidable impacts of climate 
change,  requires  bold,  energetic  and  joined-up  action  on  adaptation  in  tandem  with  reducing  global 
emissions at a steep pace in compliance with the Paris agreement.  

At the EU level, the strategy contains 49 actions to which the Commission has committed, spread across 
four high-level objectives: smarter, more systemic, faster and international adaptation to climate 
change. The actions  were designed to cover large ground in terms of policies  and often involve the 
sequencing of steps. Some actions were to be completed in the short term, while others require work 
over a longer horizon. A rich ecosystem of measures fills this evolving space, and the current report 
summarises the most important measures that have been undertaken or are in progress at the EU level. 

Increasing  resilience  to  the  impacts  of  the  climate  crisis  requires  coordination  beyond  the  ordinary 
within public administrations, and with/across stakeholders at other societal levels. This is reflected in 
the Commission’s 2023 update of the guidelines on Member State adaptation strategies and plans, and 
it is a principle that the Commission has applied as a public administration itself to the preparation and 
implementation  of  the  adaptation  strategy  to date.  That  process has also  began  to improve  adaptive 
capacity at the EU level, with progress in terms of awareness and skills relating to adaptation across 
departments  and  the  capacity  of  the  Commission  to  adjust  to  the  changes  and  uncertainties  in  the 
climate. 

The current report does not aim to provide an absolute measure of how resilient the EU is to climate 
impacts.  Improving  the ability  to  measure  adaptation outcomes  is  work  in progress.  There  is  also a 
deeper layer to the question of what “having successfully adapted” would mean, which links to societal 
values that may themselves be shifting. In the case of adaptation to climate change, these are values that 
shape understandings of what is the best life that is possible to preserve, restore or create, against the 
canvas of dramatic changes that we are driving in the physical conditions of life in our societies.  

This report targets a more straightforward task: providing a picture of  progress that is underway on 
improving  knowledge  and  data;  supporting  policy  development  and  climate  risk  management  at  all 
levels; and accelerating action to anticipate and to adapt across the board to put Europe – and assist our 
international  partners  –  in  a  much  better  position  to  face  climate  impacts  already  before  2030.  It 
therefore also feeds into the first assessment of EU level progress on the Climate Law obligations on 
adaptation that is published concurrently. 

In its recent sixth Assessment Report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made 
it  clear  that  the  window  to  secure  a  liveable  future  for  all  is  brief  and  rapidly  closing.  Seizing  this 

1  COM(2021) 82 final  

1 

 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

window is not an easy task and does not solely fall on Europe, but the EU is determined to live up to 
this uniquely historical and consequential, collective responsibility to current and future generations. 

Executive summary  

Most of the actions to which the Commission has committed in the 2021 adaptation strategy are off to 
a good start. Climate resilience considerations are far more present across EU policies than just a few 
years ago. Implementation will need to continue apace in the coming months and years.  

The summary in this section provides an illustration of  the efforts underway, with a more complete 
picture in the different chapters that follow.  

To improve knowledge and manage uncertainty for smarter adaptation, the Commission has published 
new calls for projects under Horizon Europe to close knowledge gaps on climate impacts and resilience 
and  has  been  developing  the  Risk  Data  Hub,  a  repository  for  Europe-wide  disaster  risk  data.  The 
Commission, together with the European Environment Agency (EEA), has launched and expanded the 
content and the partners of the European Climate and Health Observatory, a broad partnership to 
help Europe become more resilient to the impacts of climate change on human health. It has assigned 
substantial  work  and  resources  to  expanding  the  capabilities,  content,  user  and  contributor  base, 
outreach, and impact of the Climate-ADAPT knowledge exchange platform hosted by the EEA.   

To  support  a  systemic  approach  to  policy  development,  the  Commission  has  stepped  up  work  to 
systematically  integrate  adaptation  action  in  sectoral  strategies  and  plans.  It  also  now  requires  a 
consistency check with adaptation objectives in its impact assessments. The Commission has issued 
updated  guidelines  on Member  State  adaptation  strategies  and  plans.  It has  launched the  European 
Climate Pact and an adaptation policy support facility under the EU Covenant of Mayors in support 
of increasing societal preparedness.  

Good progress has been made in implementing the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, which 
is designed to speed up innovative adaptation action at local and regional levels. Over 300 regions and 
communities, covering some 40% of the EU, have signed up to the Mission Charter and committed to 
working together to accelerate the transformation to climate resilience; the Adaptation Community of 
Practice is live and the Mission technical support facility is operational.  

The first ever European Climate Risk Assessment is due to be published by the EEA in Spring 2024, 
in time to feed into the process of setting priorities for the next Commission. The Commission jointly 
steers  this  work  with  the  EEA.  The  Commission  has  published  technical  guidance  on  the  climate 
proofing of infrastructure projects in 2021 and on enhancing the climate resilience of buildings in 2023., 
The  Climate  Resilience  Dialogues2  have  brought  together  policymakers,  insurers,  risk  managers, 
consumers, city associations and other stakeholders to discuss and identify possible actions,  both on 
insurance and investment in adaptation to help narrow the climate protection gap. The dialogues were 
launched in November 2022.  

Also  in  the  field  of  increasing  water  resilience,  to  be  better  prepared  for  impacts  like  prolonged 
droughts, intensive rainfall and rising sea levels, good progress has been made. The European Drought 
Observatory on Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change and the 2023 Water Reuse Regulation3 
promote the sustainable use of freshwater, by providing knowledge as well as a legal basis to increase 
opportunities to reuse water of waste water treatment plants.  

2 Climate Resilience Dialogue, see: https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/adaptation-climate-change/climate-

resilience-dialogue_en 
3 Regulation (EU) 2020/741 

2 

 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

To step up international action for climate resilience, the EU has been active in scaling up international 
finance. The EU and its Member States are the largest donors of adaptation finance, contributing EUR 
12 billion in 2021 to climate adaptation or actions combining climate adaptation and climate mitigation. 
The EU has also joined initiatives such as Adaptation Without Borders, the Africa Adaptation Initiative, 
the International Coral Reef Initiative, and the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. Abroad as well 
as domestically, the Commission has been underlining the special role nature-based solutions should 
play in developing climate resilience and has increased the pool of knowledge and tools on adaptation 
available to non-EU countries.  

3 

 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Progress on the Adaptation Strategy actions 

OBJECTIVE 1: SMARTER ADAPTATION: IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGING 
UNCERTAINTY 

                                                                                          4 

Pushing the frontiers of knowledge on adaptation 

More and better climate-related risk and losses data 

Making Climate-ADAPT the authoritative European platform for adaptation knowledge 

4 

5 

6 

OBJECTIVE 2: MORE SYSTEMIC ADAPTATION: SUPPORT POLICY DEVELOPMENT AT ALL 
LEVELS AND SECTORS 

                                 6 

Improving adaptation strategies and plans 

Fostering local, individual, and just resilience 

Integrating climate resilience in macro-fiscal policy 

Promoting nature-based solutions for adaptation 

6 

8 

9 

10 

OBJECTIVE 3: FASTER ADAPTATION: SPEEDING UP ADAPTATION ACROSS THE BOARD    12 

Accelerating the rollout of adaptation solutions 

Reducing climate-related risk 

Closing the climate protection gap 

Ensuring the availability and sustainability of freshwater 

OBJECTIVE 4: STEPPING UP INTERNATIONAL ACTION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE 17 

Increasing support for international climate resilience and preparedness 

Scaling up international finance to build climate resilience 

Strengthen global engagement and exchanges on adaptation 

12 

13 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Objective 1: Smarter adaptation: Improving knowledge and managing 
uncertainty 

Under the banner of ‘smarter adaptation’, the 2021 EU Adaptation Strategy champions the need for 
robust data and risk assessments to inform all sectors of society on the current and future impacts of 
climate change. The objective acknowledges and targets knowledge gaps and uncertainties that persist 
in our understanding the impacts of climate change on natural and human systems, and it aims to push 
these frontiers including through acquiring more and better climate-related data. It also recognises the 
increasing demand from society for user-friendly tools that condense complex climate information into 
actionable knowledge.  

Pushing the frontiers of knowledge on adaptation 

o 
management tools – towards “asset-level modelling”  

Action  1:    Improve  the  state  of  the  art  on  adaptation  modelling,  risk  assessment  and 

The Commission commissioned a study on climate adaptation modelling, whose main reports 
were published at the time of the adoption of the EU Adaptation Strategy4.  

The EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation is Horizon Europe. Under its 
Framework Programme two topics were published in first half of 2022 calling for projects to 
improve the state of the art on adaptation modelling and risk assessment, and one on supporting 
management tools:  

• 

• 

‘Towards asset level modelling of climate risks and adaptation’;  

‘Development of climate change risk assessments in European regions and communities 
based on a transparent and harmonised Climate Risk Assessment approach’ and  

• 

‘Better prepared regional and local authorities to adapt to climate change’ 

Other relevant topics have been published in the Horizon Europe Working Programme 2023-
2024, including adaptation modelling with improved resolution.  

The  Commission  supports  the  Territorial  Risk  Assessment  of  Climate  in  Europe  (TRACE) 
project undertaken by the Joint Research Centre, which aims at delivering data, indicators, and 
information  on  regional  impacts  of  climate  change  on  a  wide  range  of  sectors.  Results  are 
foreseen in 2024.  

Activities are also supported on adaptation modelling for Destination Earth (see under action 
2), including by the EEA. 

o  Action 2: Help to close knowledge gaps on climate impacts and resilience, including on oceans, 

through Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, Copernicus, and EMODnet.  

The Commission published in 2022 a call for projects on five topics under the Horizon Europe 
Framework  Programme  to  help  close  knowledge  gaps  on  climate  impacts  and  resilience, 
including  on  oceans.  In  addition  to  the  three  mentioned  in  action  1,  two  calls  also  support 
Danube river basin lighthouse projects: ‘Restoration of fresh and transitional water ecosystems’ 
and ‘Protection and restoration of wetlands, flood plains, coastal wetlands and salt marshes and 
their biodiversity’. 

4 European Commission, Directorate-General for Climate Action, Jeuken, A., Bosello, F., Morales Irato, D., et 
al., Study on adaptation modelling : report on use cases and rapid analysis, Publications Office, 2021, 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2834/152735  

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

In the Horizon Europe work programme 2023-2024, adopted in November 2022, many calls 
for projects on climate adaptation and resilience were published, mainly under Pillar II ‘Global 
Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’, with focus on cluster 5 ‘Climate, Energy 
and  Mobility’  and  cluster  6  ‘Food,  Bioeconomy,  Natural  Resources,  Agriculture  and 
Environment’. In cluster 1 “Health”, several calls are defined in the area of environment and 
health, with a strong focus on climate change induced health impacts and how to prevent them. 
The  Horizon  Europe  Missions  (see  Action  23),  and  Partnerships  will  catalyse  action  and 
mobilise research and innovation to address knowledge gaps and roll out innovative solutions 
for increased climate resilience. 

As  an  example,  to  reduce  the  impacts  of  extreme  droughts,  research,  and  innovation  on 
improving water efficiency and on alternative water resources, including supply technologies 
is of importance. A call on circular economy water related projects5 was published in December 
2022.    

In January 2023 the Commission published under the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change 
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023 three climate adaptation topics calling on testing and 
demonstrating transformative  solutions  on  a) increasing  climate  resilience  of  the  agriculture 
and/or forestry sector, b) to protect critical infrastructure from climate change, mainstreaming 
Nature-based  Solutions  (NbS),  and  c) to  build resilience towards  health  risks  caused  by the 
effect of climate change6.  

In addition, several joint calls with other Horizon EU Missions were presented, among others 
on ‘Integrated planning for urban greening and re-naturing for urban regeneration, resilience 
and  climate  neutrality’,  ‘Demonstrate  at  regional  scale  an  integrated  approach  to  increasing 
landscape  water  retention  capacity’,  ‘Demonstration  of  climate  mitigation  and  resilience 
solutions in cities’ and ‘Urban greening and re-naturing for urban regeneration, resilience and 
climate neutrality’  . 

Several ongoing Horizon 2020 projects contribute to closing knowledge gaps with regard to 
alternative  water  resources,  wetland  restoration,  coastal  resilience  and  new  monitoring 
technologies and other nature-based solutions.  

The Commission is advancing the use of digital tools for adaptation through the Digital Europe 
Programme and Destination Earth initiatives, including the creation of Artificial Intelligence 
(AI)-enabled local digital twins7. 

The Commission is supporting the creation of a European smart communities’ dataspace, as 
part of the European Strategy for Data, with 10-12 validation pilots being selected.  

Data and knowledge generation is supported through the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions. All 
grant agreements for projects selected under the 2021 calls have been signed.  

More and better climate-related risk and losses data 

o 
Action 3: Promote and support the use of [the] Risk Data Hub to harmonise the recording and 
collection of comprehensive and granular climate-related risk and losses data, and promote national 
level public-private partnerships to collect and share such data. 

The Commission has developed the Risk Data Hub8, a web-based platform providing at an EU-
wide  harmonised  approach  for  multi-hazard  risk  assessment  as  well  as  for  recording  and 
managing disaster loss data. The Risk Data Hub has established partnerships with EU agencies 
(EIOPA,  EEA)  and  institutions  (ECB),  Member  State  authorities,  and  projects  under  the 

5 HORIZON-CL6-2023-CircBio-01-3 
6 HORIZON-MISS-2023-CLIMA-01 
7 Destination Earth, see https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/destination-earth  
8 Risk Data Hub, see https://drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/risk-data-hub#/  

6 

 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Mission  of  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change,  and  publishes  regular  dashboards  on  hazards, 
vulnerability  and  risk  at  regional  level.  The  Commission’s  Disaster  Risk  Management 
Knowledge  Centre9  is  a  well-recognized  platform  for  promoting  further  public  and  private 
participation, as well as internal coordinating within the Commission on risk data, including 
through its annual seminars.  

A dashboard on economic losses and fatalities from weather- and climate-related events10 has 
been published on the Climate-ADAPT portal.  

The Commission adopted the Data Act11 in 2022 that, amongst other subjects, mandates for 
allowing public sector bodies access and use of data held by the private sector that is necessary 
for exceptional circumstances, particularly in the case of a public emergency, such as floods 
and wildfires, or to implement a legal mandate if data are not otherwise available.  

The Data Governance Act12, also published in 2022, is a cross-sectoral instrument that aims to 
make more data available by regulating the reuse of publicly/held, protected data. It promotes 
national level public-private partnerships to collect data and share such data and will apply as 
of 24 September 2023. 

Action  4:  extend  the  scope  of  public  access  to  environmental  information  in  the  INSPIRE 

o 
Directive to include climate-related risk and losses data. 

The  Commission  has  implemented  public  access  to  climate  data  through  the  Implementing 
Regulation on High-Value Datasets13 in 2022 under the Open Data Directive. This IR lays down 
a  list  of  specific  high-value  datasets  and  the  arrangements  for  their  publication  and  re-use. 
Climate  data  was  brought  into  scope  in  the  annex  under  the  “Earth  Observation  and 
Environment”  and  “Meteorological”  data  categories.  Furthermore,  and  more  specifically  on 
climate-related risk and losses data, the Commission will explore the possibility to extend the 
scope of the INSPIRE Directive in the upcoming impact assessment of the Directive as part of 
the Green Data for All initiative.  

Action 5: explore with EIOPA and industry the best ways to improve the collection of uniform 

o 
and comprehensive insured loss data and will empower EIOPA as needed.  

European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) conducted a data collection 
on  the  prudential  treatment  of  climate-related  adaptation  measures  in  non-life  insurance.  In 
2023 the EIOPA is working on the development of ways to improve the collection of uniform 
and comprehensive insured loss data; finalisation is planned for 2024.  

Making Climate-ADAPT the authoritative European platform for adaptation knowledge  

o 

Action 6: Establish a European climate and health observatory under Climate-ADAPT. 

The  Commission  launched,  together  with  the  EEA,  the  European  Climate  and  Health 
Observatory14 in March 2021, and has been expanding it ever since on content and on partners, 
collating  and  developing  knowledge  on  health  threats  caused  by  climate  change.  The  main 
outputs of the observatory in 2022 included an EEA report on ‘Climate change as a threat to 
health and well-being in Europe: focus on heat and infectious diseases’15, new map viewers, 
thematic evidence pages, indicators, and 11 case studies on response in practice. Furthermore, 
the  partnership  agreed  on  the  strategic  2030  objectives  for  the  observatory.  It  is  planned  to 

9 Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre, see https://drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/   
10 https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/knowledge/economic-losses/economic-losses-on-weather/ 
11 COM(2022) 68 final 
12 Regulation (EU) 2022/868 
13 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/138 
14 European Climate and Health Observatory, see https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/observatory/  
15 EEA Report No 7/2022  

7 

 
 
  
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

develop further insights with regard to heat stress, climate-sensitive infectious diseases 
and the topic water, climate change and health. 

o 
Action 7: Update and expand Climate-ADAPT as source of knowledge on climate impacts and 
adaptation, including by federating various sources of information, and as monitoring and reporting 
mechanism  

The European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPT16,  a collaboration between the 
European  Commission  and  the  EEA  to  build  and  share  the  European  knowledge  base  on 
adaptation,, has been updated and expanded by – among others - regular integration of EU-
funded projects, and regular updates of policy information. This includes new pages on business 
and industry, cultural heritage, Information and Communication Technology, mountain areas, 
land  use  planning, and  tourism as  well  as  on  areas  of  key  EU interest  such  as nature-based 
solutions, forestry, and just resilience. Information on national adaptation policies, based on the 
governmental reporting17, is regularly published in the Climate-ADAPT country profiles.  

Access to Climate-ADAPT is facilitated by the installation of an electronic-translation function 
into five additional languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish) in a pilot. If testing 
is  successful,  further  languages  will  be  added.  The  EEA  has  presented  Climate-ADAPT 
knowledge,  tools,  and  guidance  to  a  broad  audience  of  stakeholders  at  12  national  and 
transnational level events as well as via two regular Climate-ADAPT webinars per year and a 
quarterly newsletter.  

A European Climate Data Explorer has been developed and regularly updated by EEA and the 
Copernicus Climate Change Service18 with the main purpose of providing easy access to quality 
assured  information  on  climate  hazards  and  impacts.  A  clear  link  to  the  Disaster  Risk 
Management Knowledge Centre has been established, including the Risk Data Hub. A webpage 
acting as an entry point to urban and local-level knowledge and a dashboard on economic losses 
from weather and climate related events in Europe have also been added. Moreover, the Mission 
on  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change  Portal19  was  launched  in  2023,  accessible  via  Climate-
ADAPT, which hosts a regional adaptation support tool and the adaptation dashboard. It gives 
access to the Community of Practice managed by the Mission Implementation Platform team.  

16 https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu  
17 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 
18 implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) 
19 EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change Portal, see https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/mission  

8 

 
 
  
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Objective 2: More systemic adaptation: Support policy development at all levels 
and sectors 

The  objective  of  ‘more  systemic  adaptation’  acknowledges  that  climate  change  impacts  all  societal 
levels  and  sectors  and  reflects  the  need  for  a  correspondingly  systemic  response.  This  objective 
emphasises mainstreaming climate resilience considerations across all policy fields, going beyond the 
sectors traditionally receiving the most attention in adaptation such as agriculture and infrastructure. 
Encompassing 4 fields and 15 actions, it highlights three cross-cutting priorities: integrating climate 
adaptation into macro-fiscal policy, fostering nature-based solutions, and bolstering local adaptation 
action.  

Improving adaptation strategies and plans 

Action 8: Upgrade adaptation monitoring, reporting and evaluation by using a harmonised 

o 
framework of standards and indicators. 

The EEA published a report on advancing towards climate resilience in Europe20, providing an 
overview of how all EU Member States and Türkiye were adapting to climate change at that 
time and were reporting on their adaptation actions in 2021.  

The EEA has, in addition to the existing Adaptation Support Tool and the Urban Adaptation 
Support Tool to assist the policy cycle on adaptation, also developed a Regional Adaptation 
Support Tool.  

The  Commission  developed  forward-looking  resilience  dashboards  that  assess  the  relative 
strengths  and  weaknesses  of  countries  and  includes  adaptation.  In  the  field  of  disaster  risk 
reduction and Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UPCM), the Commission received disaster 
risk management reports from the MS. Under the UCPM, EU MS, participating states and third 
countries  are  offered  a  peer  review  opportunity  to  assess  their  preparedness  for  natural  and 
human-made disasters. In 2023, a targeted Wildfire peer review framework was published, to 
respond to the increasing trend of wildfires as a climate related hazard. The five EU disaster 
resilience goals21 are in the process of implementation following their adoption at the beginning 
of 2023. The first three goals (anticipate, prepare and alert) are directly relevant for climate 
adaptation policy (see also action 29).  

Action 9: Stimulate cooperation regionally and across borders and enhance the guidelines on 

o 
national adaptation strategies in cooperation with the Member States. 

The Commission has published updated and enhanced Guidelines on Member State adaptation 
strategies and plans, developed in cooperation with Member States, in 2023.  

To  foster  exchange  of  best  practices  and  solutions  on  climate  adaptation  for  the  Outermost 
Regions  and  their  neighbouring  countries,  the  Commission  organised  nine  workshops 
concerning  the  Caribbean-Amazonia  Basin,  the  Southwest  Indian  Ocean  basin,  and  the 
Macaronesia basin, between September 2022 and June 2023. A compendium will be produced 
in 2023 presenting the results, best practices and solutions that can be reproduced in each basin 
where the Outermost Regions are located, and beyond.  

20 EEA Report No 11/2022 
21 OJ C56, 15.2.2023, p.1. COM(2023) 61 final of 8.2.2023  

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

The  Commission  has  published  in  2022  a  toolbox  monitoring,  evaluation  and  revision  of 
Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP)22 to provide guidance for Member States in the revision of 
their MSP-plans.  

In marine regions, multiple initiatives aim to safeguard marine ecosystems and habitats against 
climate  change  threats.  These  include  the  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy23,  the  Action  Plan 
“Protecting  and  restoring  marine  ecosystems  for  sustainable  and  resilient  fisheries”24  and  a 
proposal  for  a  Nature  Restoration  Law.  Moreover,  under  the  Marine  Strategy  Framework 
Directive25, measures are being implemented to minimise adverse climate impacts on coastal 
and offshore seabed habitats as part of EU MS’ marine strategies.. 

Action 10: Update its ‘Better regulation’ guidelines and toolbox to better reflect the principles 

o 
of climate-risk management policy coherence.  

The Commission has revised its ‘Better Regulation’ guidelines26 and toolbox27 in compliance 
with  the  Climate  Law,  which  obliges  the  consideration  of  adaptation  progress  in  impact 
assessments. Climate impacts have so far been considered in consistency checks in policy areas 
of  transport,  energy,  water  management,  state  aid,  plant  and  forest  reproductive  material, 
neighbourhood  policy  and  employment  since  the  adoption  of  the  relevant  tool  in  2021.  In 
agriculture,  the  only  relevant  initiative  since  the  adoption  of  the  2021  update  of  the 
better regulation toolbox is the revision of EU marketing standards. The link to climate 
impacts is not strong but valorising fruits with visual defaults/small size/blemished adds 
to the resilience of the sector. The Better Regulation toolbox includes another element related 
to risk management, which also deals with climate risks.  

Action 11: Provide ex-ante project assessment tools to better identify co-benefits and positive 

o 
impacts on the economy of adaptation and prevention projects. 

Funded by the European Commission, a 2021 World Bank study on the Economics of Disaster 
Prevention and Preparedness in Europe28, focuses on four key components: support to building 
physical  resilience,  supporting  climate  change  adaptation,  support  to  promoting  financial 
resilience, and support to enabling institutional resilience. A second report will follow in 2024, 
addressing among other things the cost of adaptation. 

o 

Action 12: Improve EU strategies and plans with regard to adaptation to climate change  

The Commission’s proposal for an EU Nature Restoration Law29, adopted in June 2022 and in 
trilogue  at  the  time  of  the  publication  of  this  report,  has  dedicated  provisions  on  climate 
adaptation requirements. The importance of healthy ecosystems and their services for climate 
adaptation  –  including  water  absorption  and  retention,  soil  retention,  cooling,  etc.  –  is 

22 European Commission, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, Toolbox for 
monitoring, evaluation and revision of MSP : final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 
2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2926/974797  

23 COM(2020) 380 final 
24 COM(2023) 102 final 
25 Directive 2008/56/EC 
26 SWD(2021) 305 final 
27 ‘Better regulation’ toolbox 2021, see https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2023-02/br_toolbox-

nov_2021_en.pdf 

28 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/ The World Bank, Economics for Disaster 

Prevention and Preparedness. Investment in Disaster Risk Management in Europe Makes Economic Sense 
Summary Report, 2021, https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-
protection/european-disaster-risk-management/economics-disaster-prevention-and-preparedness_en 

29 COM(2022) 304 final 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

highlighted in the impact assessment of this proposal. The Nature Restoration Law’s targets for 
urban, coastal wetlands and riverine habitats contribute to disaster risk reduction and climate 
change adaptation, with references to complementarity with Land Use, Land-Use Change, and 
Forestry (LULUCF).   

The revised EU Pollinator Strategy30 targets the impact of climate change on pollinator decline. 
By 2030, it aims to identify the most vulnerable zones for pollinators due to climate change and 
implement targeted mitigation measures. Member States are encouraged to consider the impact 
of  climate  change  on  pollinators  and  on  their  habitats  in  their  national  climate  adaptation 
strategies. 

The new EU Forest Strategy for 203031 emphasises the need for adaptation with specific goals 
and measures. The roadmap for planting at least 3 billion additional trees in the EU by 2030 
also stresses the importance of making forests more climate resilient and of using tree species 
and provenances which are suitable to future climatic conditions. 

Climate change  adaptation  is  also  considered  in the proposal  for a list of surface  water  and 
groundwater pollutants, the Revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (see action 
39) and the Revision of the Industrial Emission Directive. 

In June 2023, the Commission, and the European External Action Service (EEAS) adopted a 
Joint Communication on a new outlook on the climate change and security nexus, outlining 
how  the  EU  plans  to  tackle  the  increasing  impact  of  climate  change  and  environmental 
degradation on peace, security, and defence. It establishes the EU framework to address these 
challenges, through evidence-based analysis and foresight climate informed planning, decision-
making and implementation, to operationalising the nexus in EU external action from climate 
action and adaptation to and mitigation action to conflict  prevention, crisis  management 
and  humanitarian  action,  reinforcing  sustainable  and  climate-resilient  security  and 
defence capabilities and infrastructure and strengthening international cooperation. The 
Commission,  in  collaboration  with  the  European  Defence  Agency  (EDA),  has  analyzed  the 
impact  of  climate  change  on  EU  defence  capacities  and  defence-related  critical  energy 
infrastructure. In collaboration with EEAS and EDA, the Commission has also supported EU 
Member States in the development of national strategies to prepare the armed forces for climate 
change, as called for in the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. 

The  Communication  on  Strategic  Guidelines  for  a  more  sustainable  and  competitive  EU 
Aquaculture  for  the  period  2021-2030,  adopted  by  the  Commission  in  2021,  outlines  the 
development of sectoral climate adaptation strategies and plans for aquaculture. Several studies 
on  climate  change  impacts  on  fisheries  and  the  post-harvest  sector  have  informed  the 
development of the Fisheries and Oceans package, adopted in February 2023.  

Adaptation and resilience also play a role in the ‘Sustainable Carbon Cycles’ strategy32 and in 
the proposal for Regulation on Carbon Removals Certification, published in December 2022. 
Adoption by co-legislators is expected in the first quarter of 2024. 

Most National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) adopted by the Member States in 2019 refer 
to  national  adaptation  strategies  and  plans  but  provide  little  detail  how  they  contribute 
specifically to the success of the Plans. In its 2022 guidance to Member States on the update of 
their  NECPs,  due  in  June  2023,  the  Commission  encouraged  a  better  consideration  of 
adaptation  needs  in  support  of  the  achievement  of  the  Energy  Union  objectives  in  the 
dimensions of decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security and internal energy market.  

Result indicator R.12 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) indicates that, taking together 
all CAP Strategic Plans of EU member states, 25% of the EU’s Utilised agricultural area is 

30 COM(2023) 35 final 
31 COM(2021) 572 final 
32 COM(2021) 800 final 

11 

 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

targeted  under  supported  commitments  to  improve  climate  adaptation,  beyond  the  basic 
‘conditionality’ requirements.  

However,  other  requirements  and  interventions  associated  to  other  indicators  could  also  be 
relevant for adaptation, like for protection of soil, carbon storage in soil and landscape features. 
Additionally, a resilience index for the EU farming sector will be published in the Agri-food 
Data Portal33 in second half of 2024.  

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (see action 9) is currently under review. The Impact 
Assessment  for  a  possible  future  revision  of  the  Directive,  will  consider  options  for 
strengthening the links between ocean and climate policies.  

Fostering local, individual, and just resilience 

Action 13: Step up support to planning and implementation of local adaptation and launch an 

o 
adaptation support facility under the EU Covenant of Mayors. 

Within the EU Covenant of Mayors, as of June 2023, over 4500 of the 11.700 signatories –
representing more than 230 million inhabitants – have made commitments to act on adaptation 
to climate change.  

To support the actions of cities and local governments in the EU, the Commission launched the 
Policy Support Facility (PSF) during the EU Covenant of Mayors ceremony in October 2021. 
Over  the  past  one  and  a  half  years  of  the  programme  more  than  1000+  people  have  been 
engaged, including 200+ attendees taking part in interactive sessions, 350+ municipalities in 
national  workshops,  8  cities  developing  peer-to-peer  exchanges  on  climate  action  and  37 
adaptation measures advancing toward implementation. A report on the lessons learned from 
the PSF will be published in the beginning of 2024. 

In December 2020, the EU launched the European Climate Pact across all EU Member States. 
Its goal is to unite EU citizens and civil society around a common cause, helping the EU become 
climate-neutral and climate resilient by 2050, by raising awareness and encouraging action on 
climate change.  

The Pact provides citizens with tools and information to take practical and meaningful steps for 
a more sustainable lifestyle and inspiring them to lead by example in their communities and 
offers  a  platform  for  sharing  experiences  and  best  practices.  There  are  now  also  over  700 
Climate  Pact  Ambassadors  all  over  Europe  active  in  educating,  inspiring,  connecting  and 
multiplying action and efforts on the ground. 

The  Commission  has  also  launched  the  Sustainable  Consumption  Pledge,  which  is  inviting 
companies  active  in  the  EU  to  take  a  voluntary  pledge  to  support  sustainable  consumption, 
beyond what is required by law, thereby complementing other regulatory actions.  

The LIFE multi-annual work programme 2021-2027 has been revised to ensure that funding 
priorities are aligned with the EU Adaptation Strategy. Under the call for projects for 2021 and 
2022 in total 24 climate adaptation projects have been selected, distributed over the following 
themes  (in  decreasing  order):  agriculture  and  forestry;  water  management;  cities,  regions, 
infrastructure  and  buildings;  nature-based  solution  for  land,  coasts  and  marine  areas  and 
strategies,  plans  and  state-of-the-art  tools.  Several  of  these  projects  are  Strategic  Integrated 
Projects set up to assist Member States or regional authorities to Implementation of adaptation 
strategies or action plans for the transition to a climate resilient society. 

The Joint Research Centre of the Commission launched two studies on just resilience, one on 
heat impact on workers (see also action 15) and one analysing the current and emerging unequal 
exposure  and  impacts  from  flood  risk  vulnerability  and  underinsurance.  The  European 

33 https://agridata.ec.europa.eu/extensions/DataPortal/home.html 

12 

 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Environment Agency published briefings on just resilience and climate adaptation34 and cooling 
buildings  sustainably35  in  2022.  Moreover,  The  European  Topic  Centre  on  Climate  Change 
impacts,  vulnerability  and  adaptation  published  a  technical  paper  on  ‘Just  transition  in  the 
context of adaptation to climate change’ (2021)36 and on measuring progress on just resilience 
(2023)37. The EU disaster resilience goals specifically mention the importance of addressing 
the needs of vulnerable groups in disaster risk management. 

Action 14: Support the reskilling and requalification of workers for a just and fair resilience 

o 
with education and training through ESF+, Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps. 

In 2021, The Commission launched the Education for Climate Coalition38, a program aimed at 
increasing climate literacy and fostering action to address climate change.  

The Commission is actively encouraging local adaptation actions through initiatives such as the 
online platform Smart City Marketplace39.  

The  Erasmus+  and  European  Solidarity  Corps  programmes  consider  sustainability  and  the 
green  dimension  as  one  of  their  four  transversal  priorities.  For  Erasmus+,  the  Commission 
supports over 1000 projects prioritising the green transition annually, as the European Green 
Deal in one of the programme's 2019-2024 priorities. Climate adaptation is included, but there 
is no figure  available  at this point  on the  number  of projects that target or  consider  climate 
resilience. 

o 
Action 15: Continue to ensure the enforcement of existing employment and social legislation, 
and, where relevant, consider proposing new initiatives that increase workers’ protection from climate 
impacts. 

The  Commission  aims  to  protect  workers  from  the  adverse  effects  of  climate  change.  The 
research  project  “Climate  change,  adaptation  and  just  resilience:  Assessing  socio-economic 
impacts,  risks  and  vulnerabilities”  (LABPROD-JR)  will  strengthen  the  evidence  base  and 
assess how climate change, in particular heat stress, will affect  productivity performance of 
European  workers,  considering  different  occupational  groups  and  regions.  The  report  is 
scheduled for completion in 2024.   

Integrating climate resilience in macro-fiscal policy 

o 
Action 16: Develop ways to measure the potential impact of climate-related risks on public 
finances, develop tools and models for climate stress testing, and engage in discussions with Member 
States to better take into account climate change in national reporting and fiscal frameworks. 

34 EEA Briefing: Towards ‘just resilience’: leaving no one behind when adapting to climate change, see 

https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/just-resilience-leaving-no-one-behind  

35 EEA Briefing: Cooling buildings sustainably in Europe: exploring the links between climate change 

mitigation and adaptation, and their social impacts, see https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/cooling-
buildings-sustainably-in-europe  
36 ETC/CCA Technical Paper 2/2021 
37 ETC/CA Technical paper 1/23  
38 Education for Climate Coalition, see https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/ 
39 Smart Cities Marketplace, see https://smart-cities-marketplace.ec.europa.eu/  

13 

 
 
 
  
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Member States practices’ have been peer-reviewed in October 2022, with several publications 
done on national budgetary frameworks. A second discussion paper on disaster risk financing 
in EU Member States40 was published in December 2022.  

The Commission has been raising stakeholders’ awareness on disaster risk management and 
disaster risk financing strategies through regular interactions with stakeholders. Furthermore, 
the Commission published the results of a pilot study to measure the potential impact on public 
debt sustainability of climate-related risks in the Fiscal Sustainability Report41 in 2021. The 
2021 World Bank report on the Economics of prevention and preparedness, also addresses the 
macro-fiscal impacts of disasters.  

Action 17: Explore with Member States whether and to what extent Stability and Convergence 

o 
Programmes could factor in the climate adaptation dimension.  

The Commission is exploring how to standardise national reporting of climate-related fiscal 
cost/macro-economic  impact  assessments  across  National  Regulatory  Authorities,  National 
Energy  and  Climate  Plans  and  Stability  and  Convergence  Programmes.  The  Commission’s 
proposal42 for a reformed EU fiscal surveillance framework aims to introduce new reporting 
requirements  concerning  macro-fiscal  risks  from  climate  change,  the  socio-economic  and 
environmental  impact  of  climate-related  policies,  as  well  as  climate-related  contingent 
liabilities and related economic losses. Additionally, the proposed Preventive arm Regulation43 
plans to replace the Stability and Convergence Programmes with national medium-term fiscal 
structural plans, which would include information on disaster and climate contingent liabilities. 
The adoption of these legal proposals is targeted for the end of 2023 in cooperation with the 
Member States  

Action  18:  Explore  and  discuss  with Member  States actions  to  dampen  the fiscal impact  of 

o 
climate-related events and reduce fiscal-sustainability risks.  

The Commission has launched the Climate Resilience Dialogue in November 2022 (see action 34). The 
objective of the Dialogue is to discuss and identify solutions to narrow the climate protection gap and 
lower the share of uninsured losses to the economy. A report is foreseen to be published in 2024. 

o 
Action  19:  Promote  better  coordination  and  complementarity  between  the  post-disaster 
emergency and recovery operations supported by the Solidarity Fund and other EU funds to encourage 
the “build back better” principle. 

The Commission has included a specific enabling condition 2.4 of promoting climate change 
adaptation and disaster risk prevention and resilience in the European Regional Development 
Fund (ERDF)44, which requires Member States to establish national disaster risk management 
plans  accounting  for  the  impacts  of  climate  change.  In  the  current  EU  Solidarity  Fund 
Regulation ‘building-back-better’ is excluded from the eligible operations under this fund. 

40 European Commission, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Radu, D., Disaster risk 

financing : limiting the fiscal cost of climate-related disasters, Publications Office of the European Union, 
2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2765/270746  

41 European Commission, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Fiscal sustainability report 

2021 . Volume 1, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2765/682828  

42 COM(2023) 242 final 
43 COM(2023) 240 final and annexes 1 to 7 
44 European Regional Development Fund, see https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-

funding-programmes/european-regional-development-fund-erdf_en  

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Furthermore, the Technical Guidance on Climate Proofing (see action 28) is now associated 
with a provision in the Common Provision Regulation45 which requires that Member States 
climate-proof all infrastructure investments projects with a minimum life span of 5 years. There 
are  currently  no  immediate  plans  to  launch  a  major  revision  of  the  EU  Structural  Fund-
regulation to directly include the concept of ‘building back better’.  

The regulation establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF)46 requires all measures 
in  the  national  Recovery  and  Resilience  Plans  to comply  with  the  Do  No  Significant  Harm 
principle, including to adaptation. The Commission also published a technical guidance47 on 
the  application  of  this  principle  in  the  RRF.  Similarly,  the  regulation  establishing  the  Just 
Transition  Fund48  requires  that  no  significant  harm  is  done  to  environmental  objectives, 
including climate adaptation. 

Promoting nature-based solutions for adaptation 

Action 20: Continue to incentivise and assist Member States to rollout nature-based solutions 

o 
through assessments, guidance, capacity building, and EU funding; 

The Commission is reviewing the evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions (NbS) at 
regional and European levels. The Commission continues to advocate for NbS in flood risk 
management. Currently, a review of costs and benefits of NbS for flood risk management is 
ongoing with involvement of the EIB. The European Topic Centre on Climate Change impacts, 
vulnerability  and  Adaptation  (ETC/CA)  published  ‘Understanding  the  scaling  potential  of 
Nature-based  Solutions’49,  an  analysis  on  the  scaling  potential  of  nature-based  solutions for 
climate  change  adaptation  and  disaster  risk  reduction  relevant  to  achieving  overarching 
ecosystem  restoration  targets.  Additional  work  concentrating  on  socio-economic  aspects  is 
being anticipated for 2023. Also a large number of projects under Horizon Europe and Horizon 
2020 address the development, testing and assessment of NbS.    

The Commission adopted the EU Soil Strategy for 203050, which sets the stage for a proposed 
Soil Health Law, adopted in July 2023. The proposed law aims to enhance the climate resilience 
of soils and underscores their significant role in climate adaptation.  

Investments in NbS are supported through EU funding such as the Cohesion Policy funds - 
which according to current allocation of the funds by Member States are expected to finance 
229,000  hectares  of  new  green  infrastructure  -  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility,  the 
European Structural and Investment Funds and Life multiannual work programme.  

The proposed recast of the Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive, requires the prioritisation 
of green infrastructure in urban areas to control flows and reduce pollution from storm water 
overflows and runoff (see action 39). 

Lastly, a proposal for an EU Nature Restoration Law51 was adopted by the Commission in June 
of 2022 that, amongst other goals, aims to restore degraded ecosystems that prevent and reduce 
the impact of natural disasters (see action 12).  

45 Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 
46 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 
47 Commission Notice Technical guidance on the application of ‘do no significant harm’ under the Recovery 
and Resilience Facility Regulation 2021/C 58/01 (OJ C, C/58, 18.02.2021, p. 1, CELEX: https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021XC0218(01)) 

48 Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 
49 ETC CA Report 2/22, https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-ca/products/etc-ca-products/etc-ca-report-2-22-

understanding-the-scaling-potential-of-nature-based-solutions 

50 COM(2021) 699 final 
51 COM(2022) 304 final 

15 

 
 
  
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Action 21: Develop the financial aspects of nature-based solutions and foster the development 

o 
of financial approaches and products that also cover nature-based adaptation.  

The  Commission  is  exploring  insurance  products  and  services  to  nature-based  adaptation 
efforts.  In  the  Horizon  2020  programme,  the  financial  and  economic  aspects  of  NbS  were 
addressed by the NbS project portfolio through a dedicated task force, which produced a report 
on  Public  Procurement  of  Nature-based  Solutions52  and  the  nature-based  economy.  Under 
Horizon Europe, a project53 was started in 2022 which examines the feasibility and performance 
of  solutions  built  on  a  combination  of  disaster  risk  financing  and  Nature-based  solutions 
investments.  

The European Investment Bank (EIB) published in June 2023 a study on the assessment of 
access to finance conditions for innovative NbS in the EU54.  

Action  22:  Propose  nature-based  solutions  for  carbon  removals,  including  accounting  and 

o 
certification in upcoming carbon farming initiatives. 

The Commission adopted the Communication on ‘Sustainable Carbon Cycles’55 in December 
2021, which sets out how to increase durable carbon removals and, to do so, emphasises the 
need for climate resilient solutions. The Commission published the Proposal for Regulation on 
Carbon Removals Certification56 in December 2022, which proposes carbon farming as one 
removal option. Its adoption is expected at the beginning of 2024.  

52 European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Mačiulytė, E., Durieux, E., Public 
procurement of nature-based solutions : addressing barriers to the procurement of urban NBS : case 
studies and recommendations, Publications Office of the European Union, 2020, 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/561021  

53 Naturance project, see https://www.naturanceproject.eu/project/  
54 European Investment Bank, Hudson, G., Hart, S., Verbeek, A., Investing in nature-based solutions : state-of-
play and way forward for public and private financial measures in Europe, European Investment Bank, 
2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2867/031133 

55 COM(2021) 800 final 
56 COM(2022) 672 final 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Objective 3: Faster adaptation: Speeding up adaptation across the board 

Physical climate has been outpacing the progress in the implementation of climate adaptation measures. 
To accelerate the implementation of adaptation action, resources are required that are commensurate 
with the challenge. Under the objective of faster adaptation 17 actions are presented, divided over four 
challenges: to develop and roll out solutions, to help reduce climate risk, to increase climate protection, 
and to safeguard freshwater access.  

Accelerating the rollout of adaptation solutions 

o 
Action 23: Implement the planned Horizon Europe Mission on ‘Adaptation to Climate Change’ 
and  other  adaptation-relevant Missions,  including  on  soil  health,  climate-neutral  cities,  and  oceans 
once these are endorsed. 

The Mission  on Adaptation to Climate Change has three objectives: prepare Europe to deal 
with climate disruptions, by facilitating uptake of innovative solutions and building adaptive 
capacity  across  stakeholders;  accelerate  the  transformation  to  a  climate  resilient  future, 
supporting at least 150 regions and local authorities to become climate resilience by 2030; and 
build  deep  resilience  by  scaling  up  actionable  solutions  triggering  societal  transformations, 
aiming at 75 systemic demonstrations by 2030.  

The implementation of the Horizon Europe Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change is well 
underway,  alongside  other  adaptation-relevant  Missions  on  Soils,  Oceans  and  Water,  and 
Cities.  The  Mission  Implementation  Platform57,  disseminating  knowledge  on  climate 
adaptation  and  providing  a  technical  support  facility,  is  operational  since  spring  2023.  A 
Community of Practice has also been launched, offering inter alia opportunities for exchange 
through events, webinars, and discussions. 

Figure 1. Map of European Charter Signatories to the Mission on Adaptation, as of July 2023 

 308  regions,  cities,  and  local  communities,  covering  some  40%  of  EU  territory,  have 
committed themselves to the Mission Charter and are engaged to work together in accelerating 

57 EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change Portal, see https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/mission 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

their  transformation  towards  climate  resilience.  Moreover,  63  private  companies,  service 
centres, research networks, and local action groups became Friends of the Mission. 

The first 21 projects funded by the Mission have started their activities. They address issues 
such  as  citizen  engagement,  testing  and  demonstrating  solution  for  climate  resilience, 
supporting regions in developing climate risk assessment and pathways to climate resilience. 
Other  activities  supported  under  Horizon  2020  and  Horizon  Europe,  including  other  EU 
Missions and partnerships, are also developing knowledge and solutions of direct relevance for 
building climate resilience. These projects directly involve regions, local authorities, business 
partners, insurers and private venture capital.  

The most advanced projects already started in November 2021 under the Horizon 2020 Green 
Deal call58 ; the following projects are part of the adaptation portfolio with a total budget of 45 
million euros.  

•  TransformAr: accelerating and upscaling transformational adaptation in Europe59; 

• 

IMPETUS: dynamic information management approach for the implementation of climate 
resilient adaptation packages in European regions60;  

•  ARSINOE: climate resilient regions through systemic solutions and innovations61; 

•  REGILIENCE: sharing promising cross-sectoral adaptation solutions62.  

The  Commission  ensures  that  adaptation-relevant  aspects  are  pursued  for  mutual  benefits 
across the Horizon Europe Missions, as seen in joint demonstrations of solutions with joint co-
funding of the Mission on Cities, Restore our Oceans and Water, and Soils. These are included 
in the Missions Horizon Europe Working Programme for 2022 and 2023 (see action 2).  

Action 24: Support the development of further adaptation solutions, including rapid response 

o 
decision support tools to enrich the toolbox for adaptation practitioners. 

The Commission is facilitating rapid decision-making and enriching toolboxes for practitioners 
through Horizon Europe, supporting the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change (see Action 
23).  The  following  examples  of  Horizon  Europe  Mission  topics  that  serve  this  objective 
include:  

•  Better prepared regional and local authorities to adapt to climate change63;  

•  Support to regions in developing pathways towards climate resilience and corresponding 

innovation agendas64; 

•  Local  engagement  of  citizens  in  the  co-creation  of  societal  transformational  change  for 

climate resilience65.  

Horizon  Europe  Mission-funded  projects  began  in  January  2023,  helping  regions  and  local 
authorities  develop  climate  risk  and  vulnerability  assessments  and  demonstrate  innovative 
solutions.  Among  these,  the  CLIMAAX  project66,  with  an  EU  budget  of  EUR  20  million, 
provides EUR 12 million of financial, analytical, and practical support to 50 regions and local 
authorities to improve regional climate and emergency risk management plans, including the 

58 H2020-LC-GD-2020 
59 TransformAr, see https://doi.org/10.3030/101036683  
60 IMPETUS, see https://doi.org/10.3030/101037084  
61 ARSINOE, see https://doi.org/10.3030/101037424  
62 REGILIENCE, see https://doi.org/10.3030/101036560  
63 HORIZON-MISS-2021-CLIMA-01-01 
64 HORIZON-MISS-2021-CLIMA-02-02 
65 HORIZON-MISS-2021-CLIMA-02-05 
66 CLIMAAX, see https://www.climaax.eu/  

18 

 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

conduct of risk assessments. Another project, Pathways2Resilience67, has an EU budget of EUR 
30 million, with EUR 21 million set aside to assist 100 regions and local authorities to design 
their  local  adaption  plans.  Climate-ADAPT  provides  and  further  develops  a  collection  of 
generic adaptation options which aim to address adaptation needs for all climate impacts and 
sectors, and case studies which illustrate their implementation68. 

Action 25: Strengthen its support to protect the potential of genetic resources for adaptation, 

o 
including by proposing legislation on the production and marketing of seeds. 

The Commission presented legislative proposals in 2023 for the revision of the EU legislation 
for  the  marketing  of  plant  and  forest  reproductive  material  (PRM  and  FRM)  and  for  a 
regulation on the deliberate release and placing on the market of plants produced by 
certain  new  genomic  techniques69 (NGTs).  The  PRM  revision  sets  out a  new regulatory 
framework that will support the use of climate resilient plants in agriculture. The FRM revision 
will help ensure that the right tree is planted in the right place for forests to thrive also under 
projected future climatic conditions. It includes provisions to assess and communicate to end 
users the resilience-relevant traits of parent trees; to facilitate the conservation of endangered 
forest  genetic  resources;  and  to  draw  up  national  contingency  plans  to  help  reforest  areas 
affected  by  extreme  weather  events,  fires,  pest  outbreaks  and  other  disasters.  The  NGT 
proposal  facilitates the  application of innovative plant breeding to a wide variety of 
crops,  supporting  the  development  of  plant  varieties  with  improved  tolerance  or 
resistance to climate change  effects.   Furthermore, actions 22 and 23 in the Biodiversity 
Strategy for 203070, adopted in 2021 by the Commission, concern genetic resources in the sense 
of agricultural seed varieties.  

o 

Action 26: Further develop the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities for climate adaptation. 

The  Delegated  Act  on  sustainable  activities  for  climate  change  adaptation  and  mitigation 
objectives was published in December 2021 and came into force on 1 January 2022. 

o 
Action 27: Integrate adaptation in the update of Natura 2000 and climate change guidance, 
and in guidelines on biodiversity-friendly afforestation and reforestation, and in the forthcoming Forest 
Strategy.   

Published in July 2021, the EU Forest Strategy calls for greater efforts to adapt forests to climate 
change,  emphasising  the  use  of  adaptive  forest  restoration,  ecosystem-based  management 
approaches,  and  resilience-enhancing  forest  management  practices.  It  also  commits  the 
Commission  to  provide  guidance  and  promote  knowledge  exchanges  on  good  practices  on 
climate adaptation and resilience, using the Climate-ADAPT platform, and to supplement the 
revision  of  the  legislation  on  forest  reproductive  material  with  measures  to  promote  the 
production and marketing of forest reproductive material suitable for future climatic conditions. 

The Commission’s Guidelines on Biodiversity-Friendly Afforestation, Reforestation and Tree 
Planting,  adopted  in  March  2023,  also  underline  the  need  for  adaptation  and  give  relevant 
guidance.  

The update of the Commission guidelines on Natura 2000 and climate change is still a work in 
progress. The guidelines can be expected to be finalised by the end of 2023. 

67 Pathways2Resilience, see https://www.pathways2resilience.eu/  
68 https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/en/knowledge/tools/case-study-explorer 
69 COM (2023) 411 final  
70 COM(2020) 380 final 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Reducing climate-related risk 

o 

Action 28: Enhance climate proofing guidance, and promote its use in Europe and abroad. 

The Commission has adopted the technical guidance on the climate proofing of infrastructure 
2021-202771 in September 2021 to help infrastructure promoters to make the infrastructure fit 
for  a  different  climate  and  extremes.  It  is  mainstreamed  with  other  programmes  to  ensure 
consistency across all EU-funded projects, for example in the project selection criteria in the 
implementation  phase  of  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  programmes.  This 
guidance, with the climate proofing pillar of InvestEU Sustainability Proofing (adopted July 
2021), is being promoted in various context in Europe and abroad.  

To identify vulnerability hotspots in interconnected infrastructure, the Commission will publish 
a report on selected cross-border and emerging risks in Europe in 2023. Moreover, the European 
Climate Risk Assessment will identify key risks by systems and sectors, including biodiversity 
and ecosystems (see also action 29).  

To address the resilience of entities that are critical for the proper functioning of the internal 
market, the implementation of the EU directives on the resilience of critical entities72 and on 
cybersecurity73  and  Council  Recommendation74  will  enhance  the  preparedness  and  the 
resilience in respect of all hazards, whether natural or man-made, accidental or intentional. 

The Commission published the first-ever pan-European wildfire risk assessment75 in August 
2022.  In  line  with  this,  the  Commission  published  EU-Trees4F76,  a  dataset  on  the  future 
distribution of European tree species. The Commission is promoting wildfire prevention under 
the remit of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, with actions including peer reviews and 
good practice collections on risk awareness raising.  

Relevant projects financed under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) covering the period 
2021-2027,  are  subject  to  climate  proofing,  which  includes  climate  adaptation  measures. 
Climate  adaptation  measures  are  also  eligible  for  funding  under  CEF.  Moreover,  the 
Commission proposal for a Revision of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) 
Regulation  from  14  December  2021  reinforced  climate  resilience  of  infrastructure.  In 
December 2022, the Council General approach was adopted and in April 2023 the European 
Parliament’s  TRAN  Committee  approved  the  report  by  unanimity.  Adoption  of  the  revised 
TEN-T  Regulation  is  envisaged  by  the  end  of  2023,  and  entry  into  force  as  of  January  or 
February 2024. 

The Commission, in collaboration with the European Defence Agency (EDA), carried out a 
study on the climate impacts on defence-related critical energy infrastructure. It also includes 
recommendations. 

71 Commission Notice — Technical guidance on the climate proofing of infrastructure in the period 2021-2027 

(OJ C, C/373, 16.09.2021, p. 1, CELEX: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021XC0916(03)) 

72 Directive (EU) 2022/2557 
73 Directive (EU) 2022/2555 
74 OJ C 20, 20.1.2023, p. 1–11 
75 European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Oom, D., De Rigo, D., Pfeiffer, H., et al., Pan-European 

wildfire risk assessment, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/9429  

76 Mauri, A., Girardello, M., Strona, G., Beck, P., Forzieri, G., Caudullo, G., Manca, F. and Cescatti, A., EU-
Trees4F, a dataset on the future distribution of European tree species, SCIENTIFIC DATA, ISSN 2052-
4463, 9, 2022, p. 37, JRC127314 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Action 29: Develop an EU-wide climate risk assessment and strengthen climate considerations 

o 
in EU disaster risk prevention and management.  

In May 2022, the Commission and the European Environment Agency initiated the preparation 
of the first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA). This independent scientific report 
will assess current and future climate change impacts and risks relating to the environment, 
economy and wider society in Europe. The assessment will also address cross-border, cascading 
and compound risks. Publication of the report is foreseen for spring 2024. 

The Commission launched in May 2023 a call for tender for a study aiming to identify climate 
risks on the TEN-T network, corresponding adaptation measures to address them and the costs/ 
investment needs associated with these measures. The first results of the study are expected in 
April 2024. 

The  Commission is improving Member  States’  preparedness  for  climate change  impacts  on 
water management, including flood prevention, dealing with droughts and water quality. This 
is  implemented  among  others  through  the  Common  Implementation  Strategy  for  the  Water 
Framework  Directive  and  the  Flood  Directive,  and  the  exchange  of  information  and  best 
practices. Furthermore, a revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive has been proposed by 
the Commission in October 2022 (see action 39). 

To increase risk literacy throughout society, the Union disaster resilience goals were adopted 
at the beginning of 2023 with one goal specifically on increasing risk awareness (see also action 
8).   

Action 30: Increase cooperation with standardisation organisations to climate-proof standards 

o 
and to develop new ones for climate change adaptation solutions.  

The Commission adopted the new EU Standardisation Strategy77 and the Annual Union Work 
Programme  on  Standardisation78  in  February  2022.  A  contract  has  been  launched  to  select 
standards  for  which  adaptation  mainstreaming  could  be  requested  from  the  European 
Standardisation Organisations (ESOs)79. In parallel, advisory activities within the ESOs will be 
continued with financial support from the Commission. Promotion of EU Member States level 
standardisation  as  a  means  for  national  adaptation  is  part  of  the  2-year  Work  Plan  of  the 
Working Group on Adaptation of the Climate Change Committee. 

Action  31:  Support  the  integration  of  climate  resilience  considerations  into  the  criteria 

o 
applicable to construction and renovation of buildings and critical infrastructure. 

The Commission integrated climate resilience in its December 2021 proposal for the revision 
of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which will make it mandatory for 
Member States to address climate change adaptation for both new and existing buildings. The 
EPBD  proposal  is  now  being  discussed  for  final  adoption  with  the  Parliament  and  Council 
under the Spanish Presidency. Moreover, the Commission put forward provisions to inform 
about the performance of construction products also under future climate in its March 2022 
proposal  for  the  revision  of  the  Construction  Products  Regulation  through  a  horizontal 
requirement  applicable  across  Basic  Work  Requirements.  The  Commission  is  conducting  a 
study  on  climate  change  induced  corrosion,  estimating  the  total  repair  costs  of  reinforced 
concrete  buildings,  which  will  be  published  in  2023.  The  guidance  to  enhance  the  climate 

77 COM (2022) 31 final 
78 Commission Notice The 2022 annual Union work programme for European standardisation 2022/C 66/01 (OJ 

C, C/66, 08.02.2022, p. 1, CELEX: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52022XC0208(01) ) 
79 See Key players in European Standardisation (europa.eu)  

21 

 
 
 
  
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

resilience  of  buildings80  was  also  developed  and  published  in  March  2023.  Joint  Research 
Centre  pilot  studies  on  the  future  climatic  loading  on  structures  support  Member  States  in 
updating their provisions for design and renovation of built environment. 

The New European Bauhaus (NEB) Lab Labelling Strategy81 is a Commission-led project that 
links climate resilience to NEB, with the NEB Compass guiding decision makers to apply NEB 
principles and criteria to their activities, and a series of assessment frameworks developed to 
create  guidance  around  the  three  dimensions  of  the  NEB.  The  Level(s)  framework  for 
sustainable buildings includes a macro-objective on adaptation with three indicators (thermal 
comfort,  resistance  to  extreme  weather  and  sustainable  drainage).  Also,  the  revision  of  the 
Green Public  Procurements Criteria on public buildings (2023) has led to the inclusion of a 
theme  on  vulnerability  and  resilience  to  climate  change,  structured  around  a  climate 
vulnerability risk assessment. 

Figure 2 - Illustration in the Commission Guidance on climate resilient buildings 

o 
Action  32:  Address  EU-level  preparedness  and  response  to  climate-related  health  threats, 
including  through  the  EU  Framework  on  Health  Threats  and,  as  relevant,  the  planned  Health 
Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority. 

The Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA)82 has been launched in 
September 2021. It is established as a directorate-general of the Commission. It is operational 
since early 2022.  

80 European Commission, Directorate-General for Climate Action, EU-level technical guidance on adapting 

buildings to climate change, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, 
https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2834/558395  

81 The EU New European Bauhaus Lab Labelling Strategy, see https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/get-

inspired/inspiring-projects-and-ideas/neb-lab-labelling-strategy_en 
82 EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), see 

https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/departments-and-executive-agencies/health-
emergency-preparedness-and-response-authority_en 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Closing the climate protection gap 

Action 33: Identify and promote best practices in financial instruments for risk management, 

o 
in close cooperation with EIOPA. 

In  February  2023,  the  European  Insurance  and  Occupational  Pensions  Authority  (EIOPA) 
published the results of a pilot exercise with insurance companies on ‘impact underwriting’, a 
concept which captures the ability of insurance undertakings, consistently with actuarial risk-
based  principles,  to  contribute  to  the  adaptation  to  climate  change  by  incentivising 
policyholders  in  implementing  prevention  measures  to  reduce  their  risk  exposures.  In  this 
paper, EIOPA outlines examples of good underwriting practices observed in the market. The 
exercise  also  analyzed  whether  the  current  prudential  framework  for  insurers  introduces 
obstacles to the incorporation of adaptation measures in insurance products. In this regard, the 
report concludes that there are no obstacles in Solvency II that would prevent from reflecting 
climate  change  considerations  or climate-related  adaptation measures in  insurance  products. 
EIOPA is also preparing technical advice to the Commission on the prudential treatment of 
sustainability  risks.  In  that  context,  EIOPA  invited  stakeholders  to  provide  feedback  on  a 
discussion  paper  between  December  2022  and  March  2023.  The  discussion  paper  covered 
among others “Underwriting and climate change adaptation”. The timeline for EIOPA’s advice 
depends on the pending outcome of the negotiations on the Solvency II review. In July of 2023, 
EIOPA published a study on demand-side drivers of the insurance protection gap for natural 
catastrophes. In this staff paper, EIOPA proposes options that could be implemented by insurers 
to  increase  the  uptake  of  natural  catastrophe  insurance  coverage  in  the  pre-purchase  and 
purchase phases.  

The recently published Implementing Technical Standards on reporting will require insurers to 
report to supervisors information on the share of investments exposed to climate change-related 
risks as well as information about exposure to climate risks via non-life insurance contracts and 
whether  the  design  of  the  relevant  product  makes  allowance  for  risk-prevention  measures. 
These changes will apply as of year-end 2023, i.e., for the first time for the reporting year 2023 
which is due at the beginning of 2024. 

o 

Action 34: Strengthen dialogue between insurers, policymakers and other stakeholders.  

The Commission launched the Climate Resilience Dialogue in November 2022. The dialogue 
brings  together  a  wide  range  of  stakeholders,  like  insurers,  risk  managers,  international 
institutions, etc., to analyse the reasons for the widening of the climate protection gap, identify 
solutions to address them, and develop voluntary commitments on actions that would contribute 
to reducing the climate protection gap. The finalisation of the common practices, the voluntary 
commitments, and the publication of the final report is expected mid-2024. 

Action 35: Explore the wider use of financial instruments and innovative solutions to deal with 

o 
climate-induced risks. 

The Commission is revising Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for buildings to reflect 
LEVELS83. Two webinars discussed this in March and November of 2022. Further research is 
done on alternative risk-sharing mechanisms through the Mission on Adaptation projects call 
for projects on ‘Best practices on and piloting insurance solutions for climate adaptation in EU 
regions  and  communities’84.  A  draft  of  a  checklist  and  guidance  on  investing  in  public 
procurement of sustainable infrastructure was delivered at the end of 2022. The documents will 
be tested through stakeholder engagement. 

83 LEVEL(s) European framework for sustainable buildings, see 

https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/levels_en) 

84 HORIZON-MISS-2022-CLIMA-01-03 

23 

 
 
 
  
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

The  Construction  Products  Regulation  will  include  provisions  allowing  for  the  adoption  of 
delegated  acts  to  set  mandatory  minimum  GPP-requirements  or  targets,  which  means  that 
public buyers will be able to report on whether their public procurement is green and related to 
climate adaptation.  

Under the Common Agriculture Policy Strategic Plans financial instruments can potentially be 
used also for investments which contribute to closing the climate protection gap such as for 
example  investments  into  energy  efficiency,  water  saving  technology.  Also  InvestEU  can 
potentially support such investments. 

o 
Action  36:  Help  to  examine  natural  disaster  insurance  penetration  in  Member  States,  and 
promote  it,  for  example  through  guidelines  and  invite  EIOPA  to  develop  its  natural  catastrophe 
dashboard allowing country level assessments.  

A  natural  catastrophe  insurance  dashboard85  was  published  by  the  European  Insurance  and 
Occupational  Pensions  Authority  (EIOPA)  in  December  of  2022,  which  will  be  updated 
regularly. 

Figure 3 – Average share of insured economic losses caused by weather-related events 

85  EIOPA  dashboard  on  insurance  protection  gap,  see  https://www.eiopa.europa.eu/tools-and-data/dashboard-

insurance-protection-gap-natural-catastrophes_en) 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Ensuring the availability and sustainability of freshwater  

o 
Action  37:  Help  ensure  climate-resilient,  sustainable  use  and  management  of  water  across 
sectors and borders by improving coordination of thematic plans and other mechanisms, such as water 
resource allocation and water permits. 

The  Commission  works  closely  together  with  the  Member  States  through  the  Common 
Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive and the Flood Directive. The 
topic of climate-resilient water management across sectors and borders is well incorporated in 
the  CIS  Workplan  2022-2024,  which  includes  relevant  activities  to  address  issues  on  water 
resource  allocation,  water  permitting  systems,  and  cost  recovery  through  water  pricing.  In 
addition, the Commission and the Member States are revising the CIS Guidance 24 on River 
Basin Management in a Changing Climate86, with completion anticipated in 2024. 

An  Ad-hoc  Task  Group  on  Water  Scarcity  and  Droughts  is  established,  which  will  deliver 
several products, including an assessment of Member States’ drought management policies and 
plans, adaptation measures to drought, a drought risk assessment methodology, a drought risk 
atlas and a report on water scarcity and drought management in terms of river basin planning.  

The Commission adopted a Revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive in April 2022, which 
addresses efficient use of resources, including water efficiency and water reuse.  

Under the Missions Horizon Europe work programme, a call for projects was published for a 
demonstration  of  integrated  approaches  to  increasing  the  water  retention  capacity  of  a 
designated area (landscape) at regional scale in January 2023.  

Within the context of the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls, actions to improve the understanding, 
observation and monitoring  of  water resources  availability in the  context  of  climate  change 
(SOS-WATER,  STARS4Water),  to  develop  climate  sensitive  water  allocation  systems  and 
economic instruments (WE-ACT, TRANSCEND) and demonstrate innovative cross-sectoral 
water governance systems, associated with economic and financial tools to support EU green 
deal  transition  while  ensuring  water  systems  sustainability,  have  been  promoted  (InnWater, 
RETOUCH Nexus, GOVAQUA)  

Climate change adaptation is at the centre of the European Partnership Water Security for the 
Planet (Water4All) established under Horizon Europe. Water4All promotes a holistic approach, 
addressing all aspects of freshwater resource, uses and related hazards and connecting the actors 
from  research  to  decision-making  and  field  implementation,  including  citizens.  The  first 
Water4All  Joint  Transnational  Call  launched  in  2022  addressed  the  management  of  water 
resources:  resilience,  adaptation  and  mitigation  to  hydroclimatic  extreme  events  and 
management tools. 

Action 38: Help to guarantee a stable and secure supply of drinking water, by encouraging the 

o 
incorporation of the risks of climate change in risk analyses of water management. 

Further  attention  needs  to  be  paid  by  Member  States  to  how  climate  change  affects  their 
drinking water quality and sources. The recast Drinking Water Directive (DWD) entered into 
force in January 2021, with Member States had to transpose the Directive into national law and 
comply  with  its  provisions  by  January  2023.  The  Directive  includes  a  risk-based  approach 
throughout the entire drinking water supply chain. This includes the requirement for the risk 
assessment and risk management of catchment areas for abstraction points of drinking water 
sources, reviewed at least every six years. 

86 European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment, River basin management in a changing climate. 

Guidance document No 24, Publications Office, 2010, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/93909 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Member States' obligations that will need follow-up are in particular: water leakage assessment 
(by Jan 2026); Catchment area for abstraction points risk assessment and risk management (by 
July 2027); Supply system risk assessment and risk management (by Jan 2029) and Domestic 
distribution systems risk assessment (by Jan 2029) 

To aid Member States, under Horizon Europe in 2022 a call87 was published ‘Securing drinking 
water quality by protecting water sources against pollution, providing innovative monitoring 
and treatment solutions and ensuring safe distribution’. 

o 
Action  39:  Help  reduce  water  use  by  raising  the  water-saving  requirements  for  products, 
encouraging  water  efficiency  and  savings, and  by  promoting  the  wider  use  of drought  management 
plans as well as sustainable soil management and land use. 

The  Commission launched  the  EDORA88  project  in  December  2021,  with  the aim  to  assess 
drought management policies in Member States, including an in-depth assessment of Drought 
Management Plans. Drought impacts database, drought risk atlas and adaptation measures to 
droughts can be expected in 4th quarter of 2023.  

The Water Reuse Regulation will be applied as of 26 June 2023. A Working Group on Water 
Reuse  has  been  established  within  the  Common  Implementation  Strategy.  To  support  the 
implementation  of  the  Water  Reuse  Regulation,  Water  reuse  guidelines  were  published  in 
August 2022.  

The Commission has adopted both the Sustainable Product Policy Framework89 in March 2022, 
which includes the proposal for a Regulation on eco-design for sustainable products and revised 
the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) in April 2022, which also addresses water efficiency 
and water reuse.  

The  recast  Drinking  Water  Directive  (DWD)  entered  into  force  in  January  2021  (for  more 
information see action 38). 

The  Commission  adopted  a  proposal  for  a  recast  Urban  Wastewater  Treatment  Directive 
(UWWTD) in October 2022. It contributes to climate resilience by promoting improved water 
quality and quantity management in urban areas. The use of freshwater is reduced by making 
the  wastewater  treatment  sector  more  circular.  The  proposal  requires  that  Member  States 
systematically promote the reuse of treated wastewater from all  urban wastewater treatment 
plants. And it requires the prioritisation of green infrastructure in urban areas to control flows 
and reduce pollution from storm water overflows and runoff.   

The Court of Auditors published a special report90 on sustainable water use in agriculture in 
September  2021,  in  which  the  Court  of  Auditors  recommended  that  Member  States  better 
justify  exemptions  to  Water  Framework  Directive  implementation  in  agriculture  and  that 
Commission  links  Common  Agriculture  Policy  payments  to  environmental  standards  on 
sustainable water use. In its reply to the Court of Auditors, the Commission has described the 
strong  link  between  the  Water  Framework  Directive  (WFD)  and  the  2023-2027  Common 
Agricultural  Policy  (CAP),  with  special  attention  to  the  quantitative  aspects  of  water 
management. It also committed to ensuring that the CAP Strategic plans consider the analysis, 
objectives and targets included in the WFD and the River Basin Management Plans and make 
an adequate contribution to them.  

87 HORIZON-CL6-2022-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-04 
88 EDORA - European Drought Observatory for Resilience and Adaptation, see 

https://edo.jrc.ec.europa.eu/edora/php/index.php?id=201 
89 Sustainable product policy & ecodesign, see https://single-market-

economy.ec.europa.eu/industry/sustainability/sustainable-product-policy-ecodesign_en 

90 European Court of Auditors, Sustainable water use in agriculture : CAP funds more likely to promote greater 
rather than more efficient water use. Special report No 20, 2021, Publications Office of the European 
Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2865/497724  

26 

 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Objective 4: Stepping up international action for climate resilience 

This objective expands the scope of EU Climate Adaptation Strategy and action to a global stage. Every 
part of the world will be affected by climate change. Risks will be borderless, might cascade and will 
interact with and amplify other risks and impacts, including the ecological crisis and pollution.  Stronger 
international cooperation to achieve climate resilience is encouraged in the Adaptation Strategy through 
three fields and ten actions. Alignment with the adaptation-related requirements and objectives of the 
Paris Agreement is an important element. The Strategy further develops the EU’s role in supporting 
international adaptation, alongside its global leadership in climate mitigation. It underscores the need 
for  a  collaborative,  unified  response,  targeting  particularly  regions  vulnerable  to  climate  impacts. 
Encapsulating  the  spirit  of  global  solidarity,  the  objective  outlines  the  urgent  need  for  additional 
international finance and innovation in financial mechanisms to support climate resilience worldwide. 

Increasing support for international climate resilience and preparedness 

o 
Action  40:  Strengthen  the  support  for  the  development  and  implementation  of  Nationally 
Determined  Contributions and  National  Adaptation  Plans in  EU  partner  countries  and  mainstream 
conflict-sensitive,  anticipatory  and  preventive  climate  resilience  and  preparedness  in  relevant  EU 
policies and instruments for external action. 

The Commission supports  EU Partner Countries as part of its bilateral and regional dialogues 
and financial programming exercises, including in their efforts to set up and implement their 
Nationally  Determined  Contributions,  National  Adaptation  Plans,  Disaster  Risk  Reduction 
Strategies,  and  reporting  on  the  Sendai  Framework  indicators,  which  sets  out  the  overall 
objective to substantially reduce disaster risk and losses, including those related to climate. 

The Commission’ contributes to the UN Development Program Climate Promise, the Climate 
Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS)91 initiative, the Africa Adaptation Initiative, and 
Adaptation  without  Borders.  Several  Team  Europe  Initiatives  (TEIs)  have  been  identified 
across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean to support adaptation actions. 
TEIs focus on identifying critical priorities that constrain development in a given country or 
region,  where  a  coordinated  and  coherent  effort  by  European  Union,  EU  Member  States  - 
including their implementing agencies and public development banks - as well as the EIB and 
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).  would ensure results with a 
transformative impact. An example is the TEI on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience 
in  Africa  which  will  consolidate  over  EUR  1  billion  in  existing  and  new  climate  change 
adaptation and DRR  programmes.  Launched at COP27, this TEI also aims to  bolster multi-
hazard early warning systems at both regional and national levels, in line with the UN Early 
warnings  for  All  initiative.  In  this  context,  the  Commission  supports  CREWS  (with  a 
contribution of EUR 10 million under the 11th European Development Fund Natural Disaster 
Risk Reduction programme) to strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems in Small Island 
Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). 

The EU4Climate program is instrumental in supporting Eastern  Partnership countries in the 
development  and  implementation  of  climate  policies.  This  assistance  contributes  to  low-
emissions and climate-resilient development and aids in their commitment to the 2015 Paris 
Agreement on Climate Change. Specifically, EU4Climate aims to: strengthen the capacity for 
domestic  implementation  of  the  Paris  Agreement;  enhance  transparency  of  emissions  and 
climate  action;  mainstream  climate  in  other  policy  sectors,  such  as  energy,  transport, 

91 Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems 

28 

 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

agriculture;  and  achieve  the  objectives  of  climate-related  provisions  of  bilateral  agreements 
with the EU and of the Energy Community Treaty through advancing their implementation. 

In collaboration with the European External Action Services and the Service for Foreign Policy 
Instruments,  the  Commission’s  Disaster  Risk  Management  Knowledge  Centre  (DRMKC) 
organised the annual Global Conflict Risk Index (GCRI) workshop in September 2022 with a 
view  of  developing  a  new  version  of  the  Global  Conflict  Early  Warning  Index.  The  GCRI 
provides  a  measure  of  structural  conditions  correlated  to  the  occurrence  of  violent  conflict, 
contributing to vulnerability assessment.   

The  joint  Communication  by  the  Commission  and  High  Representative  of  the  Union  for 
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the climate and security nexus92 was adopted in June 
2023.  It  establishes  an  enhanced  policy  framework  to  strengthen  climate  and  environment 
informed  planning,  decision-making  and  implementation,  address  the  climate  and  security 
nexus across EU external action and enhance climate adaptation and mitigation measures in the 
development of Member States’ civilian and military capabilities and infrastructure. 

o 
Action  41:  Intensify  and  broaden  adaptation  support  to  local  authorities  in  EU  partner 
countries and develop regional programmes, including for countries in the EU Southern and Eastern 
neighbourhoods, and in candidate countries and potential candidates. 

The  Commission  continues  to  strengthen  the  local  capacity  for  disaster  preparedness  and 
individual resilience of communities vulnerable to disasters in third countries. Currently, the 
EU  currently  holds  chairmanship  of  the  Platform  on  Disaster  Displacement  (PDD)93  until 
December 2023, where it intensifies and broadens adaptation support to local authorities.  

The Commission supports the ‘TRATOLOW – Transition towards low emissions and climate 
resilient  economy  in the Western  Balkans and  Türkiye'  project94.  This  project  is  part  of the 
Commission’s  efforts  to  pinpoint  and  develop  measures  for  addressing  climate  change  and 
security hotspots in the EU neighbourhood.  

Local authorities in partner countries are supported through the Advancing Climate Adaptation 
in the Mediterranean (ACAMED) program. It aims to enhance climate governance, policies, 
and action plans at national level in the Mediterranean region and to simplify access to climate 
finance for adaptation. ACAMED is designed to promote the integration of climate change into 
the planning system at both horizontal and vertical levels. 

The project ‘Support to economic diversification of rural areas in Southeast Europe (SEDRA 
II)’ provides technical assistance to support the transition of Southern Neighbourhood countries 
towards sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient development.  

Action 42: Include climate change considerations in the future agreement on the conservation 

o 
and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.   

The  Commission  is  supporting  the  incorporation  of  climate  change  considerations  in  the 
activities  of  the  relevant  Regional  Fisheries  Management  Organisations95  and  Agreements 
(RFMO/As). Notably, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), North 
Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC), Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), International 
Commission  for  the  Conservation  of  Atlantic  Tunas  (ICCAT),  and  the  Commission  for  the 

92 JOIN(2023) 19 final 
93 Plattform on Disaster Displacement (DPP), see https://disasterdisplacement.org/ 
94 TRATLOW project, see https://www.tratolownetwork.eu/ 
95 Regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) (europa.eu)  

29 

 
 
  
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) have all adopted Resolutions 
on climate change in their annual meetings, with the support from the EU. 

Furthermore,  the  Commission  has  proposed  establishing  two  new  Marine  Protected  Areas 
(MPAs) in the Southern Ocean to CCAMLR: one in East Antarctica (since 2013) and another 
in the Weddell Sea (since 2016). Despite ongoing opposition from Russia and China, CCALMR 
held a Special Meeting in Santiago, Chile, from 19-13 June 2023, to explore a way forward, 
including developing a roadmap for the creation of a representative system of MPAs around 
Antarctica. 

In alignment  with the International Ocean Governance (IOG) agenda, the EU supported the 
conclusion, in March 2023, of an ambitious legally binding agreement under the United Nations 
Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea  (UNCLOS)  on  the  conservation  and  sustainable  use  of 
marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). Meanwhile, the EU 
has signed the BBNJ-agreement in September 2023. 

Scaling up international finance to build climate resilience 

Action  43:  Aim  to  increase  international  climate  finance  for  adaptation  through  the  EU 

o 
instruments for external action and by leveraging private sector investments.  

From 2021, the EU’s external financial assistance is implemented through the Neighborhood, 
Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe. The EU has 
raised the climate spending target under the NDICI-Global Europe to 30% for 2021-27, up from 
the  20%  target set for 2014-2020.  With  an additional  commitment  of  EUR  4  billion  by the 
Commission President, this means approximately EUR 27.85 billion of the EU’s EUR 79.5 
billion external action budget for 2021-2027 (excluding Member States’ contributions) will be 
dedicated to climate action.  

In 2021, Team Europe Initiatives contributed EUR 23.04 billion in public international climate 
finance, of which 54% was allocated to climate change adaptation or actions that target both 
climate mitigation and adaptation96.  

The  European  Fund  for  Sustainable  Development+  (EFSD+),  as  part  of  the  NDICI-Global 
Europe, is the main financial tool to mobilise investments under the Global Gateway – the EU’s 
strategy to bridge the global investment gap in infrastructure (see also action 46). EFSD+ aims 
to mobilise up to EUR 135 billion for infrastructure projects by 30ncentivizing private sector 
financing.  EFSD+  blending  facilities  will  use  grants  and  loans  to  support  non-bankable 
investment  projects  in  EU  partner  countries  while  enhancing  their  sustainability,  climate-
proofing and development impact. 

Action  44:  Promote  the  design  and  implementation  of  disaster  risk  finance  strategies  to 

o 
increase macroeconomic climate resilience in partner countries. 

The  Commission  has  increased  support  to  disaster  risk  transfer  mechanisms,  including 
insurance  schemes,  for  example  through  initiatives  such  as  the  InsuResilience  Global 
Partnership.  

The TEI  on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Africa supports the Global Shield 
Against Climate Risks, with an initial contribution of EUR 30 million. This initiative aims to 
provide  climate-vulnerable  countries  with  rapid  access  to  insurance  and  disaster  protection 
funding after flooding or droughts.  

Scaling  up  of  risk-based  and  anticipatory  humanitarian  action  is  on-going,  with  further 
recommendations for key actors expected after the establishment of new funding arrangements 

96 The 2022 figures were not yet available at the time of the writing of this report. 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

at COP27/CMA4 in Egypt.  Moreover, a dedicated budget line for disaster preparedness in the 
EU humanitarian aid budget (focusing on climate and environmental resilience) has been added 
to  factor  climate  and  environmental  risk  considerations  consistently  into  humanitarian 
operations. 

Action 45: Support partner countries in the design of policies and incentives to promote climate 

o 
resilient investment, including in nature-based solutions. 

The  Commission  has  been  pivotal  in  the  EU  and  Member  States’  multilateral  outreach, 
including through the High Ambition Coalition and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, to ensure 
that the  internationally  agreed  definition of  a nature-based  solution  is ambitious  in terms  of 
climate  and  biodiversity  and  is  accompanied  by  robust  sustainability  safeguards.  The 
Commission has contributed to achieving acknowledgements at the 5th session of the United 
Nations  Environment  Assembly  (UNEA)  under  Rio  conventions,  including  the  UNFCCC 
(United  Nations  Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change)  through  the  Sharm-el-Sheikh 
Implementation  Plan  at  COP27,  and  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  through  the 
Kunming Montréal global biodiversity framework at COP15.  

The  Commission  supports  studies  and  reports  on  adaptation,  across  various  sectors  and 
countries, facilitating knowledge dissemination, Numerous side events organised by the EU on 
adaptation in Africa took place at COP27 in Egypt. EU international partnerships are mobilising 
more  resources  to  protect  ecosystems,  particularly  from  sectors  with  significant  impacts  on 
biodiversity and potential benefits for nature. The new NaturAfrica initiative, for example, will 
provide  a  framework  for  interventions  to  protect  wildlife  and  ecosystems  in  Africa  while 
offering local employment opportunities in related sectors. 

o 

Action 46: Enhance the climate proofing of all EU external investments and actions  

In December 2021, the Commission published the Communication on the Global Gateway, an 
initiative aiming to mobilise investments of up to EUR 300 billion between 2021 and 2027 in 
partner  countries.  The  communication  underlines  that  the  investments  will  help  developing 
infrastructures  that  are  clean,  climate-resilient  and  aligned  with  pathways  towards  net  zero 
emissions, with projects that will live up to the European Green Deal oath to ‘do no harm’. In 
June  2022,  the  Commission  published  a  Commission  Staff  working  document  on  Climate 
Mainstreaming Architecture in the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework, including the 
Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI, see action 43). 

The Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans sets out that significant investment 
such  as  transport  should  be  future-proof  and  sustainable  (through  climate-proofing  and 
mainstreaming) in line with the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the 
Western Balkans.  

Strengthen global engagement and exchanges on adaptation 

o 

Action 47: Submit the EU’s adaptation plans and actions under the Paris Agreement  

In October 2021 the first ever Adaptation Communication of the European Union97 was adopted 
by the Council and submitted under the Paris Agreement.  

The EU (Commission and EU Member States) is engaged in the UNFCCC negotiations on the 
Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). The 
GGA framework was launched at COP27 with a view to adopt it at COP28. The framework is 

97 Adaptation Communication of the European Union, see 

https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/20211007_EU_adaptation_comms.pdf 

31 

 
 
  
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

considered as a central element to advance climate adaptation action and scale up support at 
global level, and as a tool to monitor and review progress, feeding into the periodic Global 
Stocktakes. The intersessional UNFCCC Conference organised in Bonn, June 2023, concluded 
with an agreement among Parties over the structure and main elements of the GGA framework.  
Work relates also to identifying high level targets and priority sectors. For the latter, there are 
several  synergies  to  be  developed  with  other  international  processes  such  as  the  Sendai 
Framework for DRR 2015-2030, the Agenda 2030 with the SDGs, and the Global Biodiversity 
Framework.  

Action 48: Deepen political engagement on climate change adaptation with international and 

o 
regional partners, and partner countries. 

The Commission is committed to include provisions for climate change adaptation in all EU 
trade agreements. All recently negotiated Free Trade Agreements include commitments related 
to  the  implementation  of  the  Paris  agreement  and  cooperative  activities  on  climate  change 
mitigation and adaptation policies. The review of the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) 
Regulation, foreseen by end-2023, should add the Paris Agreement to the list of conventions to 
the GSP scheme.  

At the UN Water Conference in March 2023, sustainable management of water resources was 
recognised as key to the achievement of all sustainable development goals, including climate 
resilience.  

A  Water  Action  Agenda  was  adopted,  to  accelerate  the  achievement  of  Sustainable 
Development Goal (SDG) 6 and other SDGs, and to drive transformation from a global water 
crisis to a water-secure world. It also called for the appointment of a UN Special Envoy on 
Water, supported by a reformed UN Water. The EU has submitted 33 commitments, including 
ones  on  climate  adaptation,  such  as  active  diplomatic  efforts  promoting  accession  of  new 
countries to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses 
and  International  Lakes.  The  EU  has  committed  also  over  €1  billion to  water management, 
including working with countries in Africa and Central Asia.  

The EU has joined the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). Moreover, climate adaptation 
was an important theme at the 6th EU-South African Forum on environment, climate change, 
and sustainable development in October 2022 

The  EU  is  also  broadening  the  All-Atlantic  Ocean  Research  Alliance  by  including  more 
Atlantic Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including the Caribbean. In July 2022, the EU, 
along  with  Argentina,  Brazil,  Canada,  Cabo  Verde,  Morocco,  South  Africa  and  the  United 
States of America signed a new All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Declaration. The 
Alliance will be supported by a Coordination and Support Action under Horizon Europe98.  

Under  the  EU  Climate  Dialogues,  a  multi-country  activity  on  promoting  the  effective 
implementation  of  the  Paris  Agreement  in  the  context  of  economic  recovery  and  the  2030 
Agenda for Sustainable Development, including climate adaptation practices, among partner 
countries will be set up in the 2nd half of 2023.  

Action  49:  Increase  the  pool  of  knowledge  and  tools  on  adaptation  available  to  non-EU 

o 
countries and promote adaptation in Green Alliances and Partnerships. 

The  EU  discusses  climate  adaptation  in  all  high-level  dialogues  with  third  countries.  The 
Commission is supporting exchanges on climate change adaptation knowledge and tools such 
as the development and implementation of National Adaptation Plans. As part of the project 

98 HORIZON-CL6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-4 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Report on the Implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change 

supporting the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) a series of trainings on climate and disaster 
risk finance was organised for government officials and decision-makers.  

In the EU’s Green Alliances with Japan and Norway, a commitment was taken to support the 
adaptation  capacity  of  developing  countries.  The  EU  also  has  a  Green  Partnership  with 
Morocco  and  signed  a  Green  Partnership  with  the  Republic  of  Korea.  A  Green  Alliance  is 
currently  being  negotiated  with  Canada.  These  partnerships  pave  the  way  for  enhanced 
cooperation and strategic dialogue in the field of climate adaptation. With the United States of 
America,  regular  exchanges  and  coordination  took  place,  including  under  the  High-Level 
Climate Action Group set-up by the 2021 EU-US Summit.  

Under Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, 11th European Development Fund and NDICI-Global 
Europe  funding,  several  projects  (FOCUS-Africa99,  DOWN2EARTH100,  CONFER101, 
HABITABLE102)  are supporting the  development  of  better  climate  intelligence  and  services 
through  earth  observation  and  state  of  art  climate  science  in  Africa,  Latin  America  and  the 
Caribbean as well as Southeast Asia.  

Supported by the European Environment Agency, the Commission has funded the Knowledge 
Exchange for Climate Adaptation Platforms (KE4CAP) initiative for sharing and experience 
and support global capacity building how to initiate and maintain online adaptation knowledge 
platforms. In 2023, Climate-ADAPT became a partner of the Asian-Pacific Climate Change 
Adaptation Information Platform. 

99 FOCUS-Africa, see https://doi.org/10.3030/869575 
100 DOWN2EARTH, see https://doi.org/10.3030/869550 
101 CONFER, see https://doi.org/10.3030/869730 
102 HABITABLE, see https://doi.org/10.3030/869395 

33