Europe is facing a growing climate-driven threat landscape marked by record-breaking temperatures, severe floods, prolonged droughts and increasingly destructive wildfires

In response, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has published three new climate resilience products aimed at strengthening the ability of decision-makers, communities and citizens to understand, anticipate and respond to escalating climate risks.

The new releases come at a time when Europe is warming at twice the global average rate since the 1980s, with climate and weather extremes placing a significant burden on societies and economies. According to EEA data, the European Union has recorded approximately €822 billion in total economic losses between 1980 and 2024 due to extreme weather and climate-related events. Alarmingly, around 25% of these losses occurred between 2021 and 2024, indicating a sharp intensification of impacts. These events have also resulted in more than 441,000 fatalities across the region.

Despite ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the EEA warns that climate impacts will continue to intensify in the coming decades. This reinforces the urgent need for both climate mitigation and adaptation measures to protect people, infrastructure and economic systems.

Central to the new publications is the EEA report, Climate resilience in Europe, 2025 — progress and challenges, which provides a comprehensive assessment of national adaptation policies and actions across 32 EEA member countries. Based on the latest reporting under the EU Governance Regulation, the report finds that while all member countries now have national adaptation policies in place, significant gaps remain between policy design and practical implementation.

The assessment highlights uneven progress in monitoring and evaluating adaptation effectiveness, with many countries lacking robust data systems to determine whether risk reduction measures are working. It also notes that coordination challenges across governance levels, unclear risk ownership and variable institutional capacity continue to hinder policy coherence, particularly at regional and local levels. Social vulnerability and equity considerations are also not yet systematically integrated into national adaptation planning.

Looking ahead, the report identifies heatwaves and rising temperatures as the most significant future hazards across all countries, followed closely by floods and droughts. It calls for a more integrated adaptation policy cycle that better connects risk identification, anticipatory action, monitoring and shared learning, alongside stronger legal and institutional frameworks at EU level.

Complementing the report, the EEA briefing Small but mighty — climate resilience in Europe’s small municipalities examines climate adaptation efforts in smaller communities, which are home to over 40% of the EU population. While many small municipalities are already taking action on climate risks, only 16% have formal adaptation plans compared to 28% of larger cities. Key barriers include limited resources, restricted access to technical expertise and unclear governance responsibilities.

The EEA has also launched a new interactive platform consolidating its evidence base on extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires. The platform provides data, projections and case studies to support resilience planning at national, regional and local levels. It reinforces the scale of the challenge, noting that climate-related extremes have caused €822 billion in losses in the EU since 1980, with recent years among the costliest on record.

Together, these initiatives underline the urgent need for coordinated climate adaptation efforts to strengthen resilience across Europe’s societies, economies and workplaces.

The Dubai Ports Authority (DPA), DP World and Dubai Maritime City have joined together in an environmental awareness campaign titled “Save Our Harbor”, to enhance environmental awareness, promote best practices for protecting the marine environment, and reduce pollution in port waters

The campaign focused on raising awareness among maritime sector personnel about the risks of marine pollution resulting from oil waste, hazardous chemical waste, and contaminated wastewater. It also emphasised the importance of complying with approved environmental procedures, implementing proper waste management practices, and ensuring the safe handling of hazardous materials.

As part of the campaign, joint field visits and inspection activities were conducted by Dubai Ports Authority and Dubai Maritime City, covering around 18 vessels at a ship repair yard, to verify that no sewage or contaminated water was being discharged into port waters and to ensure compliance with approved environmental requirements.

Captain Ibrahim AlBlooshi, executive director of Dubai Ports Authority at the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said, “The ‘Keep Our Ports Clean’ campaign reflects our commitment to enhancing environmental awareness among all stakeholders in the maritime sector and unifying efforts to maintain a safe and sustainable marine environment in line with international best practices. The campaign also highlights the importance of partnership and collaboration among relevant entities in supporting environmental sustainability and ensuring the continuity of maritime operations in an efficient and responsible manner”.

He added that the campaign adopts an innovative digital awareness approach, enabling participants to scan a QR code to access digital educational materials, including illustrations and simplified content explaining potential sources of pollution, preventive measures, and the regulations and procedures established by Dubai Ports Authority to protect port waters from contamination.

AlBlooshi further stressed that protecting the marine environment is a shared responsibility that requires the collective efforts of all stakeholders operating within the maritime sector. He noted that Dubai Ports Authority continues to develop environmental and awareness initiatives in line with international best practices, contributing to the sustainability of maritime operations and enhancing environmental quality across Dubai’s ports.

The campaign was implemented with the participation of experts from Dubai Ports Authority, Dubai Maritime City, and DP World’s Health, Safety and Environment Department, as well as marine service providers, personnel working in shipbuilding and repair yards, and vessel crew members.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration concluded its 13th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction earlier this month, encouraging employers and workers across the United States to strengthen awareness around fall hazards and workplace safety practices.

Held from 4-8 May 2026, the nationwide initiative focused on reducing falls, which remain one of the leading causes of fatalities within the construction sector. The campaign promoted greater emphasis on planning, employee training and hazard identification to improve safety performance on jobsites.

Throughout the week, employers were encouraged to temporarily halt work activities and conduct safety-focused sessions, including toolbox talks, fall prevention training, hazard recognition exercises and equipment demonstrations. Particular attention was given to risks linked to roofing operations, scaffolding and ladder use.

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health David Keeling participated in a Stand-Down event held at the Henry Bacon Ball Field on the National Mall, where several infrastructure and construction projects are underway. OSHA representatives also attended events organised in different parts of the country.

The initiative formed part of OSHA’s wider Fall Prevention Campaign and was delivered in collaboration with organisations including The Center for Construction Research and Training, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the NORA Construction Sector Council.

OSHA also announced plans to strengthen cooperation with Construction Safety Week through a new alliance aimed at supporting worker wellbeing and preventing serious incidents across the construction project lifecycle.

Since its launch in 2012, the Stand-Down campaign has helped train millions of workers and promote stronger safety awareness throughout the industry.