Questions and answers on the EU Climate Resilience Framework

1. What is the objective of the new EU Climate Resilience Framework, and why is it necessary now?

The EU Climate Resilience Framework aims to strengthen Europe's ability to anticipate, prepare for, and manage climate risks by getting ahead of those impacts and avoiding damages through coordinated action at EU, national and local levels. This more proactive and systemic approach will embed climate resilience by design across key policies and borders. The Framework combines a proposed European Climate Resilience Law with practical tools and supporting measures to help public authorities, businesses, and other stakeholders make better-informed decisions.

Preliminary data shows that more than 35,000 people died from heat-related deaths while estimated economic losses from climate damages from 2022-2025 stood at approximately €200 billion, or €50 billion per year. The estimated return on investments in climate adaptation can reach more than 10 times their value in avoided loss and damage.

Innovation can help mitigate the devastating impacts and at the same time open up economic opportunities. The demand for climate resilience products, technologies and services is increasing fast within the EU and abroad, creating new markets and export opportunities for EU companies and innovators. Global annual revenues from climate resilience solutions are projected to quadruple to €3.5 trillion by 2050. By reducing fragmentation and improving clarity on policy direction, the EU Climate Resilience Framework can help support a growing market, benefitting European business and industry.

The Framework establishes a common basis for managing climate risks in the Union and obligations for national authorities to publish national plans, supported by a shared reference trajectory for global warming that is aligned with current scientific evidence. It introduces clearer strategic planning requirements, and more accessible information on climate hazards and adaptation solutions.