Climate-resilient Europe starts with resilient cities and regions
On 27 October 2026, the European Commission published its EU Framework for Climate Resilience, including a first European Climate Resilience Law and a Communication, the latter setting out accompanying support measures and policy initiatives. The package aims to move Europe from reacting to climate disasters towards anticipating and managing their risks.
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the Framework, including the common scientific warming trajectory reference, provisions for participation of local and regional governments in national plans and tools to raise awareness on climate risks. But to turn this ambition into action, towns, cities and regions need a sustained role in decision-making, stronger capacity and predictable funding.
A common reference global warming trajectory
The proposed Climate Resilience Law establishes a reference global warming trajectory of 1.5°C by 2030, 2°C by 2050 and 3°C by the end of the century, relative to pre-industrial levels. This provides a shared basis for climate risk assessments and strategic planning.
It aligns with CEMR’s policy paper ‘Adaptation together‘, calling for a common reference scenario to help governments make coherent decisions about infrastructure, spatial planning and investment. A shared understanding of future conditions can strengthen cooperation across administrative boundaries and help avoid investments that leave communities exposed to climate risks and disasters.
Yet a common reference must be translated into accessible, territorially relevant intelligence. Climate risks differ considerably between and within countries. National assessments must draw on local and regional knowledge and provide information detailed enough to support decisions on the ground.
Local and regional authorities as strategic partners for planning, monitoring, but also for implementation
CEMR considers a positive step that under Article 7 of the proposed Law, Member States have to give subnational authorities early and effective opportunities to participate in preparing national strategic plans and take their feedback into account. Towns, cities and regions already develop adaptation plans and have practical knowledge of local vulnerabilities, infrastructure and community needs. Their experience, existing plans and reports should inform national priorities and investment decisions.
CEMR, together with other networks of cities and regions, considers that this is not enough and called in a recent joint letter to the Commission for permanent and structured cooperation covering planning, implementation, monitoring and review.
The Commission intends to present an Implementation Plan within six months after adoption of the Law identifying support for its effective application at territorial level. CEMR calls for the Plan to provide guidance on a structured multi-level governance mechanism to ensure meaningful involvement of local and regional governments in shaping and implementing adaptation and resilience policies.
The proposed law also requires Member States to identify the public authorities responsible for managing major climate risks. Clearer responsibilities can improve coordination, particularly when risks cross sectors and territories. But these responsibilities must reflect existing competences and be matched by adequate decision-making powers, staff and resources.
“As an elected representative from Shetland, I see how important it is for European action to reflect the different risks and needs of our territories. For example, where I come from, the coastline is experiencing some of the most severe effects of climate change and accelerated erosion and even more extreme weather conditions. These place-specific impacts underline the critical role of local and regional governments in translating EU and national adaptation policies into concrete measures tailed to communities.” Gary Robinson, CEMR Spokesperson for Environment and Councillor of Shetland Islands
Knowledge must be backed by capacity
The package introduces useful tools including a European Climate Viewer, a Navigator of Climate Resilience Tools and a Mission Solutions Explorer. It also builds on support through the EU Mission on Adaptation and National Adaptation Hubs. These initiatives can help authorities understand risks, learn from practical examples and identify suitable measures.
However, access to information does not replace implementation capacity. Local and regional governments also need training, technical assistance, support for project preparation and opportunities for peer learning. These services must reach authorities of all sizes, including smaller municipalities and rural areas with more limited administrative resources.
Nature-based solutions need long-term support
CEMR welcomes the proposed requirement for European and national strategic plans to promote nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation and is pleased to see that calls made through a joint letter have been acknowledged in the proposed approach. Restored wetlands and floodplains, healthy soils, urban trees and other blue-green infrastructure can address several risks simultaneously while supporting biodiversity and quality of life.
Their inclusion must now translate into practical delivery and adequate financial support. Local governments need support for the full lifecycle of these measures, from planning and land management to implementation and maintenance. The links with water resilience and national nature restoration plans should help deliver coherent measures at the appropriate territorial scale.
Closing the funding gap
The European Commission identifies that adaptation investment needs are around €70 billion annually. It points to EU funding programmes – 35% of the future EU budget should be spent on climate and environment, the future National and Regional Partnership Plans and EIB financing. However, references to these instruments do not guarantee that local adaptation priorities will receive direct funding. The to-be-published Implementation Plan needs to emphasise dedicated funding to local and regional authorities, but in its current format, legislation does not explicitly require Member States to provide local and regional governments with adequate financial and technical support.
Planning must also be aligned with funding decisions. The next EU financial programming period starts in 2028, while national strategic resilience plans would not be due until the end of 2030. Investment priorities could therefore be established before these plans are finalised. To bridge this gap, existing local, regional and national adaptation plans must inform the preparation of future funding programmes, particularly the National and Regional Partnership Plans.
The Framework also addresses the climate insurance protection gap, a recognised challenge for local and regional governments. The CEMR webinar addressing the very topic of “Costs of climate and natural disaster risks” highlighted that climate adaptation is becoming a public finance necessity, not only an environmental objective, with a need for support for local resilience investments before disasters occur. CEMR welcomes the proposed EU Climate Insurance Alliance and suggests putting local and regional governments at the centre of the forthcoming Alliance.
CEMR will work with its member associations and the European institutions to strengthen the proposal, focusing on meaningful multilevel partnership, responsibilities matched by resources, and accessible implementation support.
For more information, contact:
Advisor – Environment and mobility
