Economic losses and fatalities from weather- and climate-related events in Europe

The EU adaptation strategy aims to build resilience and ensure that Europe is well prepared to manage the risks from and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including limiting economic losses and other harm. All regions of Europe face economic losses and fatalities from weather and climate extremes every year. To support policy processes on climate change adaptation, data on these losses must be collected and reported across EEA member countries and in a coherent way over decades.

Key messages include:

• Between 1980 and 2020, total economic losses from weather- and climate-related events amounted to EUR 450-520 billion (in 2020 euros) in the 32 EEA member countries (EEA-32). Between only one quarter and one third of these losses were insured.
• Based on data from two separate sources (NatCatSERVICE and CATDAT), fatalities during the same period amounted to between 85,000 and 145,000.
• Around 3% of all events are responsible for 60% of economic losses. However, it is also important to record small- and medium-scale events to fully assess climate change impacts and to support adaptation actions.