Adaptation cuts European flood losses by half
Early warning systems, emergency plans and stricter building rules have helped cut Europe’s flood-related economic losses by 63 per cent and fatalities by 52 per cent since 1950, new research shows.
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research analysed 1,729 floods between 1950 and 2020. It found that while climate change has increased losses by about 8 per cent, improved protection and reduced vulnerability have offset much of the impact.
Absolute losses have risen from €37 billion in the 1950s to €71 billion in the past decade. But as a share of GDP, damages have fallen to one-third of 1950s levels.
Lead author Dominik Paprotny said adaptation progress has slowed in the past 20 years and more work is needed to prevent rising losses as the planet warms. Co-author Katja Frieler warned that adaptation “has its limits” and must be paired with rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
View the full research here.
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