'Plans Alone Do Not Protect People': MEP Warns as EU Prepares New Law for a World 3°C Hotter

A senior European lawmaker has warned that 'plans alone do not protect people' as Brussels advances its proposed Climate Resilience Law, designed to help Europe prepare for worsening climate risks. Presented on Tuesday, 27 October, the proposal would establish a common framework for assessing risks and assigning responsibilities for preparing for heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires.

Peter Liese, the European People's Party's lead climate lawmaker, said that he supported clearer responsibilities but questioned whether the plans were necessary in their proposed form. 'Plans alone do not protect people and could tie up resources unnecessarily if we do not design them pragmatically,' he said.

What the Climate Resilience Law Would Require

The European Commission's framework introduces a common approach to identifying climate risks and clarifying which public authorities are responsible for managing them. Its purpose is to help governments anticipate hazards rather than respond only after disasters occur.

The proposal uses a shared global warming trajectory to inform policy, infrastructure and investment decisions. The Commission's framework includes planning for future climate conditions, including a scenario involving 3°C of global warming by 2100. This is a planning reference, not a prediction that warming will necessarily reach that level.

Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra has stressed that cutting emissions remains essential, while adaptation is increasingly necessary. He told reporters that the problems facing Europe had become so extensive that emissions reductions alone were no longer sufficient.

The framework also seeks to improve the collection of information about climate-related deaths and economic damage, helping policymakers assess risks and direct resources towards vulnerable areas.

Greens Say the Law 'Commits Us to Nothing'

While Liese questioned the proposed plans, the Greens argued that the legislation lacked sufficiently binding commitments. 'The danger is a framework that tells us exactly how exposed we are and then commits us to nothing,' said Greens-affiliated MEP Kai Tegethoff.

Tegethoff called for 'binding resilience targets and clear, measurable goals for the sectors most at risk'. The disagreement reflects a wider challenge for EU climate policy: establishing common standards while leaving national and local authorities room to determine how best to protect their communities.

Flood defences, urban greening and infrastructure improvements require decisions at different levels of government. A common framework could help coordinate those efforts, but its practical impact will depend on implementation and funding.

A €70 Billion Annual Investment Need

Financing remains a major concern. A European Commission-commissioned study estimates that the EU, its member states and the private sector need to invest around €70 billion annually in climate adaptation until 2050.

The proposed framework's effectiveness will therefore depend partly on whether governments and businesses can mobilise sufficient investment. The estimated requirement covers adaptation needs across areas including infrastructure, ecosystems and food security.

The cost of climate damage is already substantial. The Commission estimates that climate damage caused approximately €200 billion in economic losses across the EU between 2022 and 2025, averaging about €50 billion annually.

Insurance provides only partial protection. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority has found that only about a quarter of weather- and climate-related economic losses in Europe have historically been insured. The remaining losses may fall on households, businesses and public authorities.

Brussels Insists 1.5°C Remains the Goal

The proposal follows the publication of the UN Environment Programme's Emissions Gap Report 2026 on 21 October. The report says current policies could lead to warming of 2.8°C this century.

It also concludes that limiting warming to 1.5°C without overshoot, or with only limited overshoot, is no longer possible. However, its lowest-overshoot scenario suggests that temperatures could peak at around 1.7–1.8°C by mid-century before returning to 1.5°C or below by 2100, with a 50 per cent probability.

Hoekstra reaffirmed that 1.5°C remains the EU's goal while arguing that governments must prepare for the world's current trajectory. The two priorities reflect the distinction between reducing future warming and managing climate risks that are already emerging.

The proposal's legislative progress and implementation will determine how far it translates into practical action. For households and businesses, the central question remains whether better planning and investment can reduce the damage caused by the next flood, wildfire or heatwave.