Overheated and underprepared: Europeans' experience of living with climate change
This report was jointly developed by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) and is based on the findings from an online survey. It explores the experiences of climate-related impacts, resilience actions taken at home, the perception of local actions implemented, and concerns about future impacts among a sample of Europeans.
Widespread experiences of climate-related impacts and high concerns about the future
Four out of five survey respondents reported experiencing at least one of the following climate-related issues in the last five years (2020-2025): uncomfortable heat, floods, wildfires, water scarcity, wind damage or more frequent insect bites. Many respondents also expressed concerns about future climate impacts, with heat and forest fires of high concern for around half of them. The fact that a high percentage of respondents reported experiencing impacts in the past and concerns in the future points towards the need to do more to adapt to climate change.
Indications of under-preparedness at the household level in Europe
The survey explored climate resilience measures in respondents′ homes. None of the measures to protect against climate impacts listed in the survey were reported as having been put in place by more than half of the respondents. Just over 22% of respondents did not have any of the listed measures at home. Measures against heat — the most frequently reported problem — include shading (reported by 49% of respondents), roof/wall insulation (48%) and air conditioning or ventilation (32%).
More than 40% of respondents reported having home insurance covering extreme weather events. A much lower percentage of respondents have prepared an emergency kits (14%) or secured access to a backup power source (8%). For European society to adapt sufficiently, households need to become more resilient through greater awareness of, access to, and increased affordability of at‑home measures.