Slovenia, Sweden, Malta: Which European citizens are most and least prepared for climate disasters?

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new Eurobarometer survey reveals that fewer than 40% of Europeans feel well-prepared for climate disasters
• Only 9% of EU citizens know their city's emergency response plan, with Sweden (20%) and Finland (19%) ranking highest, while Malta and Greece (2%) rank lowest
• The findings highlight a communication gap between authorities and citizens

🔭 The context: Recent climate disasters like Storm Boris and severe floods in Spain and Germany underscore the urgent need for disaster preparedness
• Southern European countries, which are more exposed to wildfires, heatwaves, and floods, report feeling least prepared
• Slovenia ranks highest in confidence (65%), likely due to recent severe floods prompting increased awareness and participation in disaster resilience efforts

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The climate crisis is intensifying extreme weather events, yet most Europeans lack critical information on how to respond
• Southern Europe, among the hardest-hit regions, shows low confidence in disaster preparedness, partly due to trust issues with government responses
• Addressing these gaps is vital for saving lives and reducing economic damage

⏭️ What's next: With 765,000 deaths worldwide from extreme weather between 1993 and 2022, experts stress the need for better public awareness, standardized emergency plans, and stronger community engagement
• 65% of Europeans want more disaster preparedness information, especially in Greece, Portugal, and Spain
• Policymakers must prioritize household-level preparedness alongside national and regional response planning

💬 One quote: “We need standards for emergency planning. We need to get serious about disaster response.” — Professor David Alexander, University College London

📈 One stat: Only 30% of Maltese citizens know what to do in a disaster, compared to 84% in Slovenia

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