Lagging in the face of the urgency of climate change is not an option, especially in a Europe that is already the continent that “warms most rapidly”, twice the world average, warns the European Environment Agency. In its first European Climate Risk Assessment, published this Monday, the EEA highlights 36 important “climate risks”, with serious human, economic and political consequences – there is even talk of “political turbulence” – in a Europe whose containment and Prevention, he insists, are several steps behind the rapidly growing environmental threats.
“Hundreds of thousands of people could die from heat waves and economic losses could exceed €1 trillion annually” if “decisive action now” is not taken in several areas, the report warns, noting that most of the risks identified climate changes—in ecosystems, food, health, infrastructure, and economy and finance—could reach “critical or catastrophic” levels by the end of the century if policies to stop them continue to be delayed.
Southern Europe is especially at risk due to the growing impact of heat waves and droughts on agricultural production, outdoor work, summer tourism – as is already being seen in some areas of Spain – and fires. , which already reach the “critical” level in this area that requires “urgent action” not only due to the devastation of the ecosystems they cause, but also due to their strong impact on CO2 emissions, the report insists. Rural areas and local economies dependent on ecosystem services in these regions are “particularly at risk,” continues the report, which also considers low-lying coastal areas, especially some densely populated cities, to be especially at risk.
“Europe faces urgent climate risks that are increasing faster than our level of preparedness as a society is growing,” summarizes EEA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen. The problem with many European policies is that they are gradual and long-term, when some of the risks require “urgent and forceful” action if they are not to end up being “catastrophic,” the report insists.
“European and national policymakers must act now to reduce climate risks, both through rapid emissions reductions and strong adaptation policies and measures,” urges Ylä-Mononen.
The new report precedes a communication – non-binding – that the European Commission will publish this Tuesday with precisely some proposals “aligned” with the dangers indicated by the EEA, according to a community spokesperson. “The EEA is giving a very clear warning and a very clear call to action and the Commission wants to present a policy response on how this can be done at different levels of government,” the spokesperson said.
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Both documents arrive in the middle of the European electoral campaign, where the EU Green Deal, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is committed to a transition towards a more sustainable society and economy, has been called into question by the most extreme forces. and even the conservatives, who are trying to capitalize on the anger and fears of sectors that feel more vulnerable to these measures, especially since the outbreak of the agricultural protests.
Of the 36 risks identified in the report, 21 require greater immediate action, and eight of them are “particularly urgent”: especially to conserve ecosystems, protect people from heat and protect both people and infrastructure from falls. increasingly frequent floods and forest fires. But it is also urgent to guarantee the “viability” of European solidarity mechanisms, especially the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) – which allows a Member State to be helped in the event of a serious natural disaster – warns the report, which also warns of “cascading risks” when several disasters accumulate, both within Europe and in other parts of the world. Thus, he points out, prolonged droughts already pose a significant threat to crops, food security and the supply of drinking water in some areas – such as southern Europe.
Climate risks can also cause heavy economic losses and increase social vulnerabilities, for example in the case of an increase in insurance policies in areas that are especially at risk, since the population with less economic capacity will not be able to protect their assets from fires, floods or other natural disasters that are increasingly common. Protecting the population from heat waves also requires extraordinary measures in terms of urban planning, building regulations or labor legislation.
The report also refers to European laws that are highly questioned by the forces further to the right of the political spectrum, such as the Nature Restoration Law (LRN) recently approved despite the opposition of the European People's Party (EPP) and the extreme right in the European Chamber. In this regard, the report recalls that many aquatic ecosystems and wetlands are already “seriously degraded by unsustainable land use and irresponsible water management.” “Ecosystems will benefit from Member States implementing the NRL, which requires measures to restore them,” states the report, which also calls for “reducing pollution from industrial and agricultural activities” and “raising awareness of the risks to food production.” that consume a lot of water or depend largely on imported forage,” among others.
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