How do people and cities adapt to climate change?

Climate change is happening now and will get worse in the future, even if global efforts to reduce emissions prove effective. Extreme weather and climate-related events that result in hazards such as floods and droughts will become more frequent and intense in many regions. This leads to many adverse impacts on ecosystems, economic sectors, and human health and well-being. Therefore, actions to adapt to the impacts of climate change are paramount and should be tailored to specific circumstances in different parts of Europe. Examples of adaptation measures include:

For individuals and households:

• Capturing rainwater (e.g. for watering gardens or washing cars) to save drinking water and reduce pressure on sewerage systems during heavy precipitation;
• Planting trees to create shade during heat waves;
• Insulating houses to reduce the need for cooling in summer (and heating in winter).

For cities and local authorities:

• Increasing the presence of green spaces (e.g. to limit the urban heat island effect or to use as rain gardens during heavy precipitation);
• Adapting building codes to future climate conditions and extreme weather events;
• Building flood defenses and raising flood protection levels, including nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches where possible.

For sectoral stakeholders:

• Promoting the use of scarce water resources more efficiently, for example through reusing treated waste water;
• Developing drought-tolerant crops;
• Choosing tree species and forestry practices that are less vulnerable to storms and fires;
• Setting aside land corridors to help species migrate.

Please consult the Climate-ADAPT portal for further information.