Commission releases first UCPM Report on disaster risk in Europe
The Commission has published its first Progress Report on prevention and risk management in Europe, and a supporting staff working document placing a spotlight on disaster prevention.
This report, adopted on 12 March 2024, examines the implementation of Article 6 under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. It underscores how the Commission, Member States, and participating states can enhance disaster risk management across Europe, including improvements in national risk assessments.
The report takes stock of progress in the application of instruments such as Peer Reviews and the establishment of the Union Disaster Resilience Goals. Additionally, it provides an analysis of national reports on disaster risk management. A supporting Commission staff document offers further details.
For the first time, an overview of which risks European countries identify as emerging and high ‑impact and low probability risks are presented. An overview of the most important cross-border risks identified and the different levels of cross-border cooperation is also provided.
Furthermore, the report makes recommendations for actions needed to strengthen risk management in a changing and more complex risk landscape. This involves improving risk assessments to avoid underestimating future risks, taking climate change into account. The report also demonstrates that disaster risk management actions need to increasingly follow an all-hazard approach and require effective coordination across sectors to further enhance resilience. Thus, it also suggests ways to maximise synergies with other risk assessment and sectoral policies.
The adoption coincided with the release of the Communication ‘Managing climate risks – Protecting people and prosperity’, in response to the EU's first Climate Risk Assessment, published the previous day by the European Environment Agency (EEA). This highlights the Commission's work on tackling climate-related risks, enhancing resilience, and safeguarding the well-being of its citizens.
Background
Article 6 of the UCPM decision introduces a general framework on disaster prevention with the aim of achieving a higher level of protection and resilience against disasters, and fostering a culture of prevention that also considers the likely impacts of climate.