DTU Management’s Post

Have you read the European Environment Agency's latest European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) yet? The EUCRA adds to what we already know about climate impacts and risks in Europe while combining findings from different sources, like reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and EU projects. Here are the 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 of the report: 🔥 Europe is warming faster than any other continent, leading to more extreme heat, changes in precipitation patterns, floods, and droughts. Especially southern Europe will see an increase in severe droughts. ⚠️ These climate-related events are threatening food and water supplies, energy stability, financial markets, and public health, and affecting social cohesion and stability as well as ecosystems. 🧑🦳 Climate change is a risk multiplier, making existing problems worse. Mega-droughts, infrastructure issues, and economic problems hit vulnerable groups the hardest. ⌛ Several climate risks have already reached critical levels. If we don't act fast, climate risks could become catastrophic by the end of the century. Hundreds of thousands of people would die from heatwaves, and economic losses from coastal floods alone could exceed EUR 1 trillion per year. ⚖️ Good policies can cut climate risks and damages, but we need to reduce greenhouse gases quickly and be ready for the unavoidable impacts of climate change. 🤝 We've learned a lot about climate risks, but we're not acting fast enough. While the EU has made good progress understanding and preparing for the climate risks being faced, societal preparedness is still low. We need to work together to deal with these shared problems. 🌱 Most policies and actions to strengthen Europe's resilience to climate change are made for the long term. Urgent action is needed now to prevent rigid choices that are not fit for the future in a changing climate. Thinking about climate when planning land and infrastructure is crucial to avoiding big risks. 🔐 Policies that deal with climate should fit with other goals, like helping the environment and society. Cooperating on plans while also considering other environmental, social and economic policy objectives, is key to dealing with climate change effectively. Do you think policymakers will be able to make the changes needed to mitigate climate risks? 🤔Let us know in the comments. #ClimateRiskAssessment #EUCRA #climatechange

The European Environment Agency has issued a first-of-its-kind European Climate Risk Assessment Report. The bottom line: Europe is not prepared to adapt to the realities climate change will bring. "When applying the scales of severity used in the European climate risk assessment, several climate risks have already reached critical levels. If decisive action is not taken now, most climate risks identified could reach critical or catastrophic levels by the end of this century. Hundreds of thousands of people would die from heatwaves, and economic losses from coastal floods alone could exceed EUR 1 trillion per year." Executive summary of report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/d-nzkgrv #climatechange #climateaction #climateemergency #climaterisks #riskmitigation #adaptation

The first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) offers not only policy insights, but also a synthesis and update since the IPCC AR6, through a novel, policy-relevant methodology for future European Climate Risk Assessments. This includes storylines, interactions between climatic and non-climatic impact drivers, cascading impacts, and an assessment of policy readiness, among others. It connects thus knowledge from different scientific communities and disciplines, courageously exploring less well-known but critical components of risk. All in all, an intense and thorough process, with an engaged Advisory Board and Commission Working Group. Some personal picks: * Evidence on increasing climatic extremes and illustrations of cascading impacts throughout Europe. Our decision-makers have a choice: waiting for more to happen, or change to a precautionary approach for current and future generations. * In our chapter on scenarios, we illustrate the importance of both climatic and non-climatic drivers of risk. This includes both with “cornerstone scenarios", based on SSPs and surprise "wildcards" * I'm particularly proud of this point “The climate risks Europe is facing are driven not only by increases in climate hazards, but also by how prepared societies are for them” Thanks to all #EUCRA colleagues (in hundreds), Expert Advisory Board, Review Panel, and Commission Working Group for the engagement. Particularly in our scenario Chapter, thanks to my inspiring co-lead Francisco J. Doblas-Reyes (Barcelona Supercomputing Center) and wonderful team Tim Carter (Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) - Suomen ympäristökeskus (Syke), Julie Berckmans, Rein Haarsma, Martin Jury, Rebecca Emerton, Stefan Fronzek, and Veruska Muccione (thanks Robbert Biesbroek for this connection!). Thanks to our many colleagues at CMCC, the Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving (PBL), all storylines and factsheet authors, and SEI — Stockholm Environment Institute colleagues, particularly Richard Klein and Mikael Allan Mikaelsson MBE, Marc Zebisch and Johan Munck af Rosenschöld for the methodological discussions on policy analysis, cascading risks etc.  Thanks to European Environment Agency and DG CLIMA for this initiative! Wageningen University & Research #climateresilience Here's the link to the executive summary and full (unedited) report https://lnkd.in/dfF3fEnt, and a very short summary through our WUR website https://lnkd.in/devhmNa8.

The EU and its Member States have made considerable progress in understanding the climate risks they are facing and preparing for them. National climate risk assessments are increasingly used to inform adaptation policy development. However, societal preparedness is still low, as policy implementation is lagging substantially behind quickly-increasing risk levels. Most of the climate risks are co-owned by the EU and its Member States; therefore, coordinated and urgent additional action is required at all governance levels https://lnkd.in/dRyNVWmA

Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment (Risk Assessment) is identifying to what degree Australia's people, infrastructure, economy, and environments are exposed and vulnerable to climate change this century. It will inform national priorities for climate adaptation and resilience actions through the Australian Government's National Adaptation Plan. The Australian Climate Service is building the evidence base underpinning the Risk Assessment over two key stages: - The first pass assessment (released in early 2024) undertook a qualitative high-level assessment of the climate-related risks the nation will face over this century. A series of expert workshops built on findings from a literature scan and assessment of adaptation policy and activities currently underway around the country. - The second pass assessment (currently underway) is taking a deep dive into understanding the highest priority risks, drawing together and analysing national climate data to further understand Australia's how we could adapt to climate change and reduce impacts.   Over the coming weeks we will put the spotlight on key findings from each of the key systems, sharing some of the insights gained through the first pass assessment and the focus of activities in the second pass assessment. Stay tuned and make sure you're following @AustralianClimateService for updates. For more visit: https://lnkd.in/gnXM83PT

In March of 2022 Luke Kemp and co-authors published a paper entitled Climate Endgame: Exploring catastrophic climate change scenarios (See https://lnkd.in/eyDfJy2Q) At the time there were some who criticised this work as being alarmist, however as any actuary will tell you “prudent risk management requires consideration of bad-to-worst-case scenarios.” In the Kemp paper the authors recommended that the IPCC publish a special report on catastrophic climate change scenarios. Although this call has not been taken up yet, the European Environment Agency just released its first ever climate risk report entitled European Climate Risk Assessment (See https://lnkd.in/dZJi2j7i) In this report they identify 36 major risks facing the EU region. It makes for some sobering reading. In the report they say the following about these risks: “In the absence of additional adaptation actions, almost all (34 out of 36) climate risks would reach critical or even catastrophic levels during this century in a high warming scenario.” We are racing into a world where climate risks pose a real threat not only to ecosystems, food production, human health and infrastructure but also to the global economy and finacial systems. Do you know what the risks are for your region? How prepared are you to meet them? #ClimateLiteracy #ClimateCrisis #Adaptation - - - - - - - - - - 👩🏻💻 Improve your personal climate literacy by attending a climate literacy workshop or host one for your entire team. See https://lnkd.in/eQ2G5QWd

"When applying the scales of severity used in the European climate risk assessment, several climate risks have already reached critical levels. If decisive action is not taken now, most climate risks identified could reach critical or catastrophic levels by the end of this century. Hundreds of thousands of people would die from heatwaves, and economic losses from coastal floods alone could exceed EUR 1 trillion per year." Sobering stuff. Finally a risk assessment of the impacts of climate change, rather than just another "projection". Please share this assessment far and wide - we need the general public to be seeing this, especially with so many elections in 2024. Read the European Climate Risk Assessment by the European Environment Agency here - https://lnkd.in/g6sNzZ9s

Europe is facing climate risks that are escalating faster than our preparedness. According to the EU's environment agency, the first European Climate Risk Assessment identified 36 major risks, highlighting the need for immediate action. These risks include ecosystems, food, health, infrastructure, the economy, and finance. Drought poses a significant threat, with water stress affecting up to 70% of southern Europe's population in the summer. In a press release, the EEA Executive Director Leena Ylä-Mononen explained: "Our new analysis shows that Europe faces urgent climate risks that are growing faster than our societal preparedness.” To enhance resilience and adaptation efforts, the EU has introduced a new strategy for adaptation to climate change and the European Drought Observatory. It's crucial for European and national policymakers to act now to mitigate these risks through rapid emission cuts and robust adaptation policies. It's not just policymakers that need to take action. Every business has a role to play in identifying and managing their climate related risks. The risks for businesses are significant, and it's time for everyone to step up and take action. Get in touch if you need help. #ClimateChange #EUCRA #EUAdaptationStrategy Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/d-nzkgrv

Congrats to all European Environment Agency colleagues who contributed to the first comprehensive EU Climate Risk Assessment, published today. A must-read for everybody who wants to understand the wide-ranging impacts of a hotter Europe. Europe is the fastest warming continent in the world, and climate risks are threatening its energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and people’s health. This assessment identifies 36 climate risks with potentially severe consequences across Europe. The risks are evaluated in the contexts of risk severity, policy horizon (lead time and decision horizon), policy readiness and risk ownership. Many of these risks have already reached critical levels and could become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action. That is why climate-proofing Europe deserves to be among the top priorities of the next policy cycle according to our Executive Director Leena Yla-Mononen. The report also identifies priorities for EU policy action, based on a structured risk assessment united with qualitative aspects, such as considering social justice. Tomorrow, the European Commission will publish its Communication on Climate Risks and the European Parliament will organise a debate in plenary. #climatechange #adaptation #resilience #sustainabledevelopment #eu #euelections2024 #preparedness #globalwarming #europe

#The European Environment Agency has published the first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) - EEA Report No 1/2024 The EUCRA report builds on and complements the existing knowledge base on climate impacts and risks for Europe, including recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, as well as outcomes of EU-funded research and development projects and national climate risk assessments. The knowledge in this first-of-its-kind assessment is synthesised with the aim to support strategic policymaking. https://lnkd.in/dUbfnsUM #climate #eu #eucra