The European Union has urged member states to prepare for a global temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius by 2050 and 3 degrees by 2100, compared to pre-industrial levels. Through a new framework for climate resilience, the European Commission aims to mainstream climate change adaptation into national economic planning and policies.
According to the Italian news agency ANSA, European Union countries will have to draw up national strategic plans to adapt to the expected increase in temperatures. The new framework adopted by the European Commission sets out a common global warming trajectory on which countries should base their preventive measures. For the first time, the European framework aims to give member states more direct responsibility for preventing climate risks, shifting the focus from responding to natural disasters to preparing for their consequences in advance.
National plans will need to cover different sectors of the economy, including infrastructure, agriculture, energy and other activities that are exposed to extreme temperatures, droughts, floods and other climate phenomena.
An important element of the new approach is the link between climate sustainability monitoring and the European Semester, the mechanism through which the European Union coordinates and assesses the economic and fiscal policies of its member states. This approach aims to treat climate risks not only as an environmental problem, but also as a factor affecting economic stability, public finances, investment and the competitiveness of European economies.
The importance of drafting national strategies
Rising temperatures can directly affect labor productivity, agricultural production, energy demand, and infrastructure maintenance costs. At the same time, extreme weather events can increase budget expenditures for emergencies and reconstruction, putting pressure on public finances.
Incorporating climate adaptation into economic planning aims to encourage governments to identify these risks earlier and direct investments towards strengthening the resilience of economies.
The European Commission's initiative comes at a time when climate change is taking on an increasingly important role in EU economic policies, alongside objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlike policies that aim to limit global warming through emissions reduction, the new framework focuses on adapting to the consequences of climate change that could materialize over the coming decades. / Monitor
