The European Commission is set to unveil new climate rules on Tuesday that will oblige EU governments to clarify which level of authority is responsible for protecting citizens from climate-related disasters. Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told Euronews that the move is part of a broader push to prepare Europe for increasingly extreme weather, including scenarios where global temperatures rise by 3°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
Hoekstra warned that the world is heading toward a temporary or potentially prolonged overshoot of the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target, making it essential for governments to plan for more intense heatwaves, floods, and wildfires—even if emissions reduction efforts succeed. "It is up to member states to decide where they want to put that responsibility. But what we do make mandatory is that they do have to appoint and articulate where the responsibility is going to lie," he said.
The proposed legislation would require each of the 27 member states to specify whether national, regional, or local authorities are accountable for climate preparedness. Governments would retain flexibility in how they allocate these duties, but the aim is to prevent the kind of political finger-pointing that often follows disasters when homes are destroyed by floods or wildfires.
Infrastructure designed for the past
The Commission also wants climate scenarios to be integrated into the planning of new roads, bridges, and residential developments. The logic is straightforward: infrastructure built according to historical weather patterns may no longer be fit for purpose in a hotter, more volatile climate. "We want to introduce a culture of preparedness and resilience by design, rather than dealing with the damages in the aftermath, which is often very ad hoc and doesn't always build back better," a senior Commission official said on condition of anonymity.
Hoekstra pointed to the need for urban heat plans and infrastructure that can withstand higher temperatures, rather than relying on past climate data. The reference trajectory—2°C of warming by 2050 and 3°C by 2100 for Europe—is based on scientific research, including work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and advanced European climate modeling. Europe is warming roughly twice as fast as the global average, according to the Commission's assessment.
The economic toll is already visible. The Dutch commissioner estimated that this summer's extreme weather caused more than €100 billion in damage across the continent. "Even if we get all of this right, we have no way to avoid more summers than the one we saw last year," he said, arguing that readiness, resilience, and preparedness must become priorities alongside emissions cuts.
No new money for households
However, the question of how to finance adaptation remains unresolved. The Commission's climate resilience strategy does not include new financial commitments for household support, despite concerns that ordinary citizens may struggle to afford the investments needed to adapt—such as flood-proofing homes or installing cooling systems.
Hoekstra pointed to the Commission's proposal to devote 35% of the EU budget to climate and nature, but the strategy's effectiveness will depend on ongoing negotiations over the next multiannual financial framework. Climate spending will compete with other priorities like defence, security, competitiveness, and agricultural support. The Commission is also counting on the recently announced €30 billion from the European Investment Bank for climate adaptation through 2030, as reported earlier.
The lack of new funding is a potential weakness. Hoekstra argued that preventive investment is economically worthwhile but did not announce a household support scheme or explain how the EU would ensure that lower-income households can afford necessary improvements. Instead, Brussels wants to work with the insurance sector to address the bloc's climate protection gap. According to the senior Commission official, only around 25% of assets exposed to climate impacts are insured, leaving governments and property owners vulnerable to substantial losses. "The fact that so many areas are underinsured" is one of the issues the Commission will examine, Hoekstra said.
The new rules are part of a broader European effort to adapt to a changing climate, which also includes health-focused climate plans and a growing recognition that climate disinformation poses a public health threat. As the continent braces for more extreme weather, the Commission's message is clear: preparation must become a permanent feature of governance, not an afterthought.
