European cities face critical gaps in climate resilience and adaptation

European cities and policymakers are facing increasing pressure to translate climate resilience theory into actionable practice as extreme weather events like heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts intensify. While the European Commission is integrating resilience into policy through the forthcoming European Climate Resilience Framework and the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, practitioners report difficulties in defining and implementing these concepts on the ground.

A Eurocities Pulse survey of 54 European cities identified heatwaves as the primary climate threat, yet significant gaps remain in preparedness. Only 56% of surveyed cities conduct regular climate risk assessments, and 19% lack dedicated staff for adaptation. Furthermore, many cities possess adaptation strategies but lack the technical expertise and financing required to develop investment-ready projects. Only about 20% of cities have contingency budgets for climate-related disasters.

The economic and human costs of inaction are substantial. In France, recent heatwaves were estimated to have caused over 7,300 excess deaths and could result in economic losses between EUR 10 billion and 15 billion.