Climate crisis management: from anticipation to intervention

Description

Climate crisis management refers to the set of methods, plans, and resources mobilized to prevent, anticipate, manage, and restore normalcy in the event of a climate-related crisis, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, or storms. Its goal? To minimize human losses, protect infrastructure, and ensure the continuity of essential services.

Europe is particularly affected because it is warming rapidly: since 2020, it has experienced its three hottest years on record, and 2024 was the hottest year ever measured on the continent. Extreme events—droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and floods—have become increasingly frequent.

According to data cited in 2024 by the European Environment Agency in its annual report, economic losses in Europe linked to climate events were estimated at €13.4 billion, with 81% attributed to flooding. These floods affected approximately 1.6 million people and caused 44 deaths.

The Copernicus “European State of the Climate 2024” report, published in 2025, further highlights that climate crises such as storms and floods impacted around 413,000 Europeans and resulted in at least 335 fatalities. This demonstrates that crisis management is not a theoretical issue—it addresses massive and recurring damage to human populations.