Europe prepares to adapt to climate change

2329, 30/05/07

A green paper to be published by the European commission next month will set out how the EU can integrate measures to adapt to climate change into domestic and foreign policy. It will argue that adaptation policies must be pursued alongside efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and says Europe risks serious harm if it does not act now.

The paper is due to be published on 19 June. ENDS has seen a mid-April draft of the paper. Commission sources say it has not changed significantly in substance since then. The paper will launch a public consultation on the way forward and proposes four types of action at EU level:

* integrating adaptation measures into existing and forthcoming EU policies. The most important measures are to reduce existing pressures on ecosystems, says the green paper, because healthy ecosystems are better able to respond to climate change and because they mediate its effects on human society. Existing EU legislation on air, water, biodiversity and soil must be implemented on time, it says.

The paper says possible further adaptation measures will be outlined in different policy areas. For example, a green paper on adaptation in agriculture is due this year and a communication on tackling the impact of climate change on human and animal health in 2008.

* setting up a European steering group on adaptation to climate change to identify key long-term adaptation actions. Adapting to climate change could eventually mean significant restructuring of economic sectors like agriculture, tourism, ports and industrial infrastructure, the commission says.

The commission says a group could be set up under the European climate change programme (ECCP) to identify "essential elements of future concerted action". A resulting report in mid-2008 would form the basis for a commission communication on adaptation by the end of that year.

* integrating adaptation thinking into cooperation programmes with other developed and developing countries. Among several initiatives the commission advocates setting up a new EU-funded "Global climate alliance" from 2007. The commission would contribute E50m and member states would be asked to make an "equal effort" to the pot. It is unclear which adaptation measures would be financed.

* prioritising EU-wide research and information exchange to improve understanding of the impacts of and possible responses to climate change in Europe.

The paper paints a bleak picture of Europe's future if no action to reduce greenhouse gases is taken, using data both from the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) and the EU (EED 11/04/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/22982).

Follow-up: European commission http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm, tel: +32 2 299

1111, plus EU adaptation pages http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/eccp_impacts.htm.

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