Climate policy for the European Union (EU) was irrelevant until the 70s, it became a topic on the political agenda only in the 80s, and today its policy includes adaptation.
The European Union recognises that some of the impacts of climate change caused by past emissions are irreversible. The policy responses of climate change are adaptation and mitigation.
The main reason for a weak adaptation strategy in mid 80s and 90s was the reluctance of the Member States (MS) to give up power to the supranational institutions. But it was only when the IPCC report put emphasis on adaptation arguing that it should concern even industrialized countries and not only Developing countries (DC) that things started to change. The EU has adopted in 2013 the Adaptation Strategy, which has been strengthened since the 5th National Communication.
The aim of this paper is to critically assess EU’s current trends in adaptation actions, as well as future adaptation requirements. In order to reach this goal this paper will rely on two main documents: sixth EU’s National Communication to the UNFCCC and to the correspondent UNFCCC’s in-depth review.
The first part will give a brief overview of the EU adaptation strategy, its development and the main official documents, the second part is a more detailed analysis and criticism on the actions described in the current EU adaptation strategy. Before the conclusion, the main criticism will be highlighted and the future adaptation requirement outlined.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Development of EU Adaptation Strategy
3. EU Adaptation Strategy 2013
4. Critical overview
5. Future adaptation requirements and conclusion
Objectives and Scope
This paper critically assesses the European Union's current trends in adaptation actions and future adaptation requirements, primarily utilizing the sixth EU National Communication to the UNFCCC and the corresponding in-depth review.
- Overview of the historical development of the EU adaptation strategy.
- Critical analysis of the actions outlined in the 2013 EU Adaptation Strategy.
- Examination of institutional challenges, including intergovernmental decision-making and policy integration.
- Assessment of the role of knowledge management and financial instruments in climate adaptation.
- Evaluation of future requirements for a more resilient and coherent EU climate policy.
Excerpt from the Book
3. EU Adaptation Strategy 2013
EU adaptation strategy initiated in 2013 is based on three aims, characterised by eight actions. The three objectives are: promoting action by MS, better informed decision-making and third key vulnerable sectors.
The content of this section of the paper is a critical analysis of each action. The first aim is to promote action by all the Member States of the EU (MS), the Commission pushes and supports each MS to implement a comprehensive adaptation strategy and action plans. According to data collected by Climated-Adapt the implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAP) and National Adaptation Stratgey (NAS) are not implemented homogeneously among the MS. According to the data collection of the platform ADAPT, several MS had no strategy at all until 2016, like Greece, Latvia or Croatia. The diversities in the implementation of the recommended strategy are several, the consequence is that some MS are really progressing and implementing successfully their strategies with the support of the EU, while other countries are far behind.
Following this description of the first action this paper wants to clarify what exactly these strategies involve, here are mentioned two examples. The first is the Heatwave plan for England (2016), this is a plan at national level which aims to inform the population in time so to prevent cases of death like it happened back to 2003. (Climate-Adapt) The second example is a project implemented at city level, in the city of Barcelona, the project Barcelona trees tempering the Mediterranean city climate of 2016, aims, as the title says, to mitigate the temperature by planting many trees in the city. (Climate-Adapt)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the historical shift in EU climate policy from mitigation towards including adaptation and sets the research goal of assessing current adaptation trends.
2. Development of EU Adaptation Strategy: Defines the theoretical framework of adaptation versus resilience and traces the evolution of EU policy responses from early Green and White Papers.
3. EU Adaptation Strategy 2013: Provides a detailed critical analysis of the eight actions under the 2013 strategy, covering financial resources, city initiatives, and knowledge gaps.
4. Critical overview: Analyzes the implementation gaps and theoretical discourse, arguing that EU policy may have depoliticizing effects on the understanding of adaptation.
5. Future adaptation requirements and conclusion: Synthesizes suggestions for improving policy coherence, emphasizing the need for better integration, monitoring, and increased public awareness.
Keywords
Climate Change, EU Adaptation Strategy, Mitigation, Resilience, National Adaptation Plans, UNFCCC, European Commission, Climate-ADAPT, Vulnerability Assessment, Policy Integration, Sustainability, Disaster Risk Management, Governance, Climate-proofing, Environmental Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the critical assessment of the European Union's 2013 Adaptation Strategy, evaluating its implementation trends and identifying future requirements for effective climate adaptation.
What are the central themes discussed in the document?
The central themes include the evolution of EU climate policy, the practical implementation of adaptation measures by Member States, the role of financial and knowledge-sharing platforms, and the institutional challenges of intergovernmental climate governance.
What is the ultimate research objective?
The objective is to analyze whether the EU's current adaptation framework effectively supports Member States in addressing climate change impacts and to highlight where the strategy requires improvement.
Which scientific sources does the paper rely on?
The paper primarily relies on the sixth EU National Communication to the UNFCCC and the corresponding in-depth review by the UNFCCC, supplemented by academic studies on climate policy and discourse.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body examines the specific actions of the 2013 strategy, analyzes progress across different Member States, discusses critical perspectives on how "adaptation" is framed in EU policy, and suggests improvements for future strategies.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Climate Change, EU Adaptation Strategy, Resilience, Policy Integration, Governance, and Vulnerability Assessment.
How does the author describe the difference between adaptation and resilience?
The author distinguishes them by defining resilience as the capacity of a system to absorb a disturbance and return to a steady state, whereas adaptation refers to the ability to modify behavior or processes to respond to climatic stimuli.
What is a major criticism mentioned regarding the EU's adaptation policy?
A major criticism is the lack of an integrated policy and a failure to implement strategies homogeneously among Member States, with some countries lacking clear adaptation strategies or action plans.
How does the author view the role of the "Climate-ADAPT" platform?
The author presents it as the primary tool for knowledge sharing, but notes concerns regarding accessibility, language barriers, and the need for better integration with national platforms.
What is recommended for future adaptation policy?
The author recommends enhancing policy coherence between mitigation and adaptation, improving the accessibility of guidance for project development, and increasing public awareness regarding climate risks.
- Quote paper
- Amelia Martha Matera (Author), 2018, The EU Adaptation Strategy 2013, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/442595
