EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change demonstrates strong progress towards climate resilience

A new European Commission assessment highlights the significant progress made by the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, showing that it has already exceeded key 2030 delivery targets. 

The Mission aims to support at least 150 European regions, local authorities and communities to become climate resilient by 2030. According to the assessment, this target has already been surpassed, with 292 regional and local authorities having implemented climate adaptation measures. 

The assessment points to several key achievements: 

• The Mission has built one of the largest climate resilience coalitions ever assembled at EU level, engaging more than 600 regions and local authorities. 
• 185 regions and local authorities are testing and implementing nearly 1,000 real-life adaptation solutions through Mission demonstrators, while more than 110 additional territories are preparing to replicate and scale successful approaches across Europe. 
• Through tailored technical assistance, peer learning and Mission activities, regions and local authorities have strengthened adaptation governance, improved climate-risk planning and developed locally tailored resilience pathways. 
• The launch of 27 National Adaptation Hubs is laying the foundation for stronger multilevel governance on climate resilience by connecting EU, national and regional levels and supporting the scale-up of adaptation solutions across Europe. 

The assessment also identifies the Mission as an important delivery mechanism for wider EU climate resilience policy. In particular, the Mission is contributing evidence, tools, governance models and practical examples that can inform the forthcoming European Integrated Framework for Climate Resilience. 

The Commission concludes that the Mission has moved beyond experimentation and is now demonstrating tangible impact on the ground.  

The report is published as Europe faces increasingly severe climate impacts, including heatwaves, droughts, floods and wildfires. These risks were also highlighted by President Ursula von der Leyen in her recent State of the Union address, which set out EU climate priorities for the year ahead, including support for adaptation technologies, local adaptation action, the Climate Insurance Alliance and the European Heatwave Plan. 

Read the full report