"As climate change impacts worsen, societal preparedness for climate change in Europe must increase. But efforts to build this resilience must leave no one behind. Socially vulnerable groups, such as older people, children, low-income groups and people with disabilities, are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change and do not always benefit fairly from (or are burdened further by) adaptation responses to these impacts. - While some progress is being made to embed justice considerations into adaptation efforts at the EU, national and subnational levels, their consistent integration into all stages of the adaptation policy cycle — particularly implementation — remains inadequate. This highlights the need for concrete guidance on how to consider justice in adaptation responses. - Priorities for action include the development of a monitoring framework for assessing progress on just resilience at all governance levels. At the EU level, a dedicated funding mechanism should be established. The EC′s European climate adaptation plan, expected in 2026, will be a key opportunity to integrate justice into national adaptation processes, strategies and plans. At the Member State level, priorities include integrating justice into adaptation policies and other relevant policies and laws (e.g. energy and building policies, worker protection legislations, agriculture planning and financing). Subnational authorities should engage vulnerable groups in planning and implementing targeted adaptation measures that address their unique needs and vulnerabilities."

Support: Digital