Changes from resolution motion to adopted text

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol thereto,

– having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement),

– having regard to the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change of April 2013 and its accompanying staff working documents,

– having regard to the Commission report of 12 November 2018 on the implementation of the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change (COM(2018)0738),

– having regard to the UN Environment Programme’s Adaptation Gap Report 2018,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 4 March 2020 for a regulation establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law) (COM(2020)0080),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system’ (COM(2020)0381),

– having regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) special report on global warming of 1.5 °C, its fifth assessment report (AR5) and its synthesis report thereon, its special report on climate change and land, and its special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate,

– having regard to the Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services published by the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IBPES) on 31 May 2019,

– having regard to European Court of Auditors special report no. 33/2018 entitled ‘Combating desertification in the EU: a growing threat in need of more action’,

– having regard to the Global Commission on Adaptation’s flagship report of 2019 entitled ‘Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience’,

– having regard to the EU’s seventh Environment Action Programme to 2020 and its vision for 2050,

– having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

– having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2020 on the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal,

– having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency,

– having regard to the EEA indicator assessment of 2 April 2019 entitled ‘Economic losses from climate-related extremes in Europe’,

– having regard to the EEA report of 4 September 2019 entitled ‘Climate change adaptation in the agriculture sector in Europe’,

– having regard to the EEA report of 4 December 2019 entitled ‘The European environment state and outlook 2020: knowledge for transition to a sustainable Europe’,

– having regard to the scientific opinion of the Commission’s independent Group of Chief Scientific Advisors of 29 June 2020 on adaptation to climate-change-related health effects,

– having regard to the EEA report of 8 September 2020 entitled ‘Healthy environment, healthy lives: how the environment influences health and well-being in Europe’,

– having regard to the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030,

– having regard to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2020/741 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 2020 on minimum requirements for water reuse,

– having regard to the Cancun Adaptation Framework,

– having regard to the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Impacts,

– having regard to Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks,

– having regard to its resolution of 8 September 2015 on the follow-up to the European Citizens’ Initiative Right2Water,

– having regard to European Court of Auditors special report no 33/2018 entitled ‘Combating desertification in the EU: a growing threat in need of more action’,

– having regard to the European Court of Auditors special report no 25/2018 entitled ‘Floods Directive: progress in assessing risks, while planning and implementation need to improve’,

– having regard to the Commission’s Projections of economic impacts of climate change in sectors of the EU based on bottom-up analysis (PESETA) reports, in particular the 2018 and 2020 PESETA III and IV reports,

– having regard to the question to the Commission on EU strategy on adaptation to climate change (O-000075/2020 – B90075/2020),

– having regard to Rules 136(5) and 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,

A. whereas the observed climate changes are already having wide-ranging impacts on ecosystems (and biodiversity in particular), social and economic sectors (deepening inequality) and human health; whereas it is important to prevent the emergence of multiple and often interacting threats to ecosystems and wildlife, including habitat loss and degradation; whereas the effects of climate change are continuing to be registered globally and in the EU, and whereas there is further evidence that future climate change will increase the number of extreme climate-related events in many EU regions, as well as in third countries, and trigger invasions of infectious disease carriers that could lead to the re-emergence of infectious diseases previously eliminated in the EU; whereas adaptation to climate change is not only in the EU’s economic interest, but is also imperative for the public’s well-being;

B. whereas Member States, regions and sectors in the EU are, and are projected to be, affected differently by climate change; whereas coastal and island regions are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; whereas adaptive capacity significantly differs between EU regions, and the adaptive capacity of the EU’s island and outermost regions is limited; whereas adaptation strategies should also encourage a shift to sustainable development in vulnerable areas, such as islands, building on environmentally friendly and nature-based solutions; whereas the Mediterranean area will suffer more from the effects of heat-related human mortality, water scarcity, desertification, habitat loss and forest fires;

C. whereas coral reefs and mangroves, which are essential natural carbon sinks, are at risk because of climate change;

D. whereas soil health is a key factor in mitigating the effects of desertification, as soil is the largest carbon reservoir and the backbone of all ecosystems and crops, having significant water retention capacity and playing an important role in improving societal resilience to environmental change;

E. whereas the water sector, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and terrestrial and marine biodiversity are strongly linked, and are also related to changing land-use patterns and population change; whereas climate change impacts in other parts of the world may affect the EU through trade, international financial flows, public health, migration and security;

F. whereas overall energy consumption in the water sector in the EU is significant and needs to be more efficient in order to contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement and the climate goals of the EU for 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050;

G. whereas the Water Framework Directive (WFD) does not include specific provisions to address the impacts of climate change; whereas in its communication on the European Green Deal, the Commission nevertheless acknowledges that the natural functions of ground and surface water must be restored;

H. whereas buildings are responsible for approximately 40 % of energy consumption and 36 % of CO2 emissions in the EU, and whereas their deep, including staged deep, renovation is therefore crucial to achieving the EU’s 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions objective;

I. whereas the EEA has estimated that weather- and climate-related extremes accounted for EUR 426 billion in monetary terms between 1980 and 2017 in the EU-28 Member States, and has said that damage costs from climate change are expected to be high, even if the Paris Agreement is implemented; whereas these costs should be taken into account in the cost-benefit analysis of the measures to be implemented; whereas climate-resilient investments can limit the adverse effects of climate change and thus reduce the cost of adaptation; whereas the impacts of climate change outside of the EU are likely to have economic, social and political repercussions on the EU in numerous ways, including through trade, international financial flows, climate-induced displacement and security; whereas the necessary climate change adaptation investments have not yet been assessed or incorporated into the multiannual financial framework (MFF) climate figures;

J. whereas climate change and its impacts can be substantially reduced by an ambitious global mitigation policy compatible with the mitigation goal of the Paris Agreement; whereas current emission reduction commitments are not sufficient to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and will result in global warming of more than 3 °C above pre-industrial levels;

K. whereas adaptation to climate change is necessary to anticipate and cope with current and future adverse effects of climate change and to prevent or reduce short-, medium- and long-term risks from climate change; whereas a robust EU adaptation strategy is fundamental to preparing vulnerable regions and sectors; whereas collective international efforts, inter alia on sustainable development, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction, should be better integrated in the new strategy;

M. whereas health hazards related to climate change will affect people, particularly some vulnerable groups (elderly people, children, outdoor workers and homeless people); whereas these hazards are, inter alia, increasing morbidity and mortality due to extreme weather events (heatwaves, storms, floods, wildfires) and emerging infectious diseases (whose spread, timing and intensity are affected by changes in temperature, humidity and rainfall); whereas changes in ecosystems might also increase the risk of infectious diseases;

N. whereas according to the World Health Organization, projected climate change will cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths a year by 2030;

O. whereas the restoration of ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, peat-lands and wetlands, leads to positive change in the carbon balance of the respective land use system and is both a mitigation and an adaptation measure;

P. whereas investing in the prevention of environmental disasters can effectively improve adaptation to climate change and reduce the frequency and intensity of climate-related extreme weather events;