The 24 February 2021 the European Commission issued the new EU Climate Adaptation Strategy for climate change.

These new measures allow to take action to improve the current situation and mitigate the future consequences of climate change in Europe. In fact, despite the EU Countries’ commitment, in the coming decades greenhouse gases emission (CO2) will increase, leading to a further rise in global temperatures and damage to the Earth ecosystems.

So, the goal of the new EU Adaptation Strategy is to accelerate Europe’s effort to protect nature, people and resources from the impacts of climate change.

The systemic actions introduced are 3: integrating adaptation actions into macro fiscal policies, using Nature Based Solutions (NBS) as an action for adaptation, developing local actions engaging private sector entities too.
In addition, adaptation actions must be based on solid data and risk assessment tools that are available to everyone – from the family to the business to the farmer planning his production. For this reason, the strategy promotes actions for the collection of data related to knowledge on climate adaptation in order to act in a timely manner to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Finally, Europe clarifies that the so-called Green Economy, so far focused on energy saving, must develop in parallel all the necessary actions to promote the use of real green, the one provided by vegetation. The use of NBS means not only the use of photovoltaic panels, winter thermal insulation systems, alternative energy sources, undoubtedly fundamental, but also trees, hedges, hanging greenery, rather than vertical greenery.

Throughout Europe there is a great expectation for the development of this sector: the supply chain is extremely large and there would be a strong increase in GDP and great job opportunities.

The European Commission will discuss the strategy with Member States in the Environmental Council. The Council is expected to approve the conclusions at its next meeting in June 2021.