This Nordic city has been crowned EU’s most climate-resilient capital

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Northern and Eastern European capitals are emerging as the continent’s most climate-resilient, while southern capitals including Madrid, Paris, and Lisbon fall outside the top 10
• The COOLCITY Index, covering over 11,000 urban areas, evaluates resilience against heat, flooding, drought, vegetation health, water systems, and biodiversity. Stockholm leads the ranking, with Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn following closely

🔭 The context: Europe has been identified as the fastest-warming continent, facing increased risks from heatwaves, forest fires, and flooding
• The European Union underscores the urgency for emission reductions and enhanced urban adaptation measures
• Stockholm’s high resilience scores stem from forested surroundings, innovative urban tree pits, extensive waterways, and healthy green spaces

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Climate resilience in urban areas reduces the environmental impact of extreme events, protects biodiversity, and strengthens ecosystem services like water absorption and cooling
• Cities that fail to adapt risk worsening heat islands, increased flooding, and long-term ecological degradation

⏭️ What’s next: Other European capitals, particularly in the south, will need to invest in urban greening, sustainable water management, and heat mitigation strategies to close the resilience gap and prepare for ongoing climate change impacts

💬 One quote: “Europe has been identified as the fastest-warming continent, underlining the urgency to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience.” — Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)

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