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2. Climate change mitigation and adaptation

Page Last modified 14 Jun 2022
1 min read
Climate change is happening now and will continue in the decades to come. Europe aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, while becoming more resilient and less vulnerable to climate change. The EEA monitors this transition and supports the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and measures in this area.

Climate change is one of our most pressing environmental challenges, with far-reaching ramifications for human society and the natural world. In 2021, the EEA delivered data, information and knowledge contributing to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, including:

  • Progress reporting on climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Publication of assessments and indicators on mitigation progress and potential in various sectors to support the achievement of mid-term targets
  • Support to the negotiations on the European Climate Law and the establishment of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change
  • Information and assessments on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
  • Knowledge on the just transition elements of the EGD and social implications of climate mitigation policies

 

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2021: key facts and figures

 

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On our Youtube channel, EEA experts discuss the most relevant topics and recent publications. Here we talk about Climate change impacts and ecosystems - Forest fires and floods in summer 2021 and Europe's progress towards climate targets

Related content

Related briefings

Briefing EU renewable electricity has reduced environmental pressures; targeted actions help further reduce impacts We need to invest in a green recovery to restart the economy. The European Green Deal puts climate change mitigation at the core of its efforts to recover sustainably from the COVID-19 crisis. Renewable electricity could increase to 70 % of all power generation by 2030 to allow a net 55 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by that year and climate neutrality to be reached by 2050. Despite multiple benefits for human health and the environment associated with the reduction in fossil fuel use for energy, increasing renewable power supply is not impact free. Concerns have been raised that renewable electricity could shift environmental burdens in ways that do not always lower overall pressures. This briefing investigates changes in the electricity mix since 2005, and their trade-offs from a life cycle perspective to help policymakers and individuals focus on areas that offer opportunities for improvement.

Related publications

Publication Trends and Projections in Europe 2021 The year 2020 saw remarkable progress towards meeting the EU's climate and energy targets. Rarely in the publication of the annual Trends and projections in Europe report has this executive summary presented such substantial progress as this edition does. Preliminary estimates indicate that, in 2020, we witnessed the full achievement — and even overachievement — of Europe's 20-20-20 goals for climate change mitigation, renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency gains. This keeps Europe well on track in its journey towards climate neutrality by mid-century.
Publication Nature-based solutions in Europe: Policy, knowledge and practice for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction Working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to recognise their potential. The knowledge base is expanding rapidly, with gaps identified and plans to fill them. However, challenges for implementation remain at the local level, as demonstrated by the case studies in this report.
Publication Global climate change impacts and the supply of agricultural commodities to Europe The EEA has addressed the consequences of climate change in numerous reports, including Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016, the 2019 report Climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector in Europe and the European environment — state and outlook 2020 report. This briefing analyses the implications for Europe of the impact of global climate change on agricultural trade.
Publication EU renewable electricity has reduced environmental pressures; targeted actions help further reduce impacts We need to invest in a green recovery to restart the economy. The European Green Deal puts climate change mitigation at the core of its efforts to recover sustainably from the COVID-19 crisis. Renewable electricity could increase to 70% of all power generation by 2030 to allow a net 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Despite multiple benefits for human health and the environment associated with the reduction in fossil fuel use for energy, increasing renewable power supply is not impact free. Concerns have been raised that renewable electricity could shift environmental burdens in ways that do not always lower overall pressures. This briefing investigates changes in the electricity mix since 2005, and their trade-offs from a life cycle perspective to help policymakers and individuals focus on areas that offer opportunities for improvement.

See also

Page 1. Biodiversity and ecosystems Faced with continued biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, Europe seeks reduce and reverse these losses, while bringing nature back into our lives. The EEA monitors this transition and supports the implementation and evaluation of actions in this area.
Page Areas of work The remit of the EEA is to provide reliable and timely information and knowledge to policy makers, the academic community, the general public and other stakeholders.
Folder Air quality index The European air quality index is calculated based on up-to-date (UTD) and modelled air quality data. The index is based on the 5 air quality pollutants; O3, NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and SO2. First an index is calculated for each of these pollutants and the worst index is then selected as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI).
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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/EEA-2021-the-year-in-brief/climate-change-mtigation-and-adaptation or scan the QR code.

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