Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, posing an existential threat to our world. The European Union is at the forefront of global efforts to combat climate change, working in partnership with countries around the world to achieve the goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The EU's climate actions are guided by the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, aiming for an economically and socially just transformation that leaves no one behind.
Low-income countries, despite contributing minimally to global emissions, face disproportionate impacts from climate change. Aligned with the European Green Deal and the Global Gateway Strategy, the EU is committed to accelerating the transition to low-carbon, resource-efficient, and resilient economies. This commitment is reflected in its support for climate finance, climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction initiatives. These efforts are further enhanced by initiatives aimed at protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing natural resources, including forests and ecosystems.
Climate finance
The EU is committed to mobilising $100 billion annually until 2025 to support developing countries’ climate actions. In 2023, the EU, its Member States and the European Investment Bank contributed EUR 28.6 billion in public climate finance to support developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. At COP29, the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), a new post-2025 goal on climate finance was agreed of at least USD 300 billion per year by 2035 for developing countries for climate action with developed countries taking the lead. The European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) and green bonds are key tools for attracting private investment in climate initiatives.
Climate change mitigation
On 6 February 2024, the European Commission presented a communication where it recommended a 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. Immediate and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are necessary across all sectors, worldwide. In addition to investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency, the circular economy, green growth, natural resource protection, critical raw materials, clean technologies, and future-proof infrastructure, the European Union works closely with its partner countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and designing sound and ambitious climate action strategies and policies.
Climate change mitigation initiatives include:
- AEGEI
Launched at the 6th EU-AU Summit that took place in February 2022, AEGEI is the EU's main initiative to support renewable energy generation, access, grid extension, interconnections, the just transition, energy efficiency including clean cooking and green hydrogen and derivatives in Africa and supporting regulatory reforms to create a favourable environment for private investment. AEGEI aims to provide 50 GW of new renewable energy generation capacity and provide electricity access to 100 million people by 2030. The initiative brings together 12 EU Member States—Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden—along with their respective Development Finance Institutions, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Total contribution to AEGEI is expected to exceed EUR 20 billion for the 2021–2027 period. Of this, the EU alone has committed EUR 3.4 billion, a portion of which will be used to leverage private sector investment through guarantees and blending under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+).
- Just Energy Transition Partnerships
Just Energy Transition Partnerships enable partner countries to collaborate with climate finance donors, private investors, and development banks to achieve a just and ambitious energy transition. They are fully aligned with Global Gateway, the EU’s sustainable connectivity strategy.
- Global Methane Pledge
The Global Methane Pledge was launched at COP26 in 2021 by the EU and the United States. It is now implementing a collective goal of reducing global anthropogenic methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, from 2020 levels. Since its launch, 158 countries have joined, and multilateral development banks have shown strong support.
- EU Forest Partnerships
The EU is committed to protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing forests through long-term Forest Partnerships with partner countries. The EU has earmarked €1 billion for forest support from 2021-2027.
- EU Climate Dialogue
It is the EU’s main climate diplomacy operational arm, focusing on policy reforms and supporting the implementation of Green Alliances, Green Partnerships, and Just Energy Transition Partnerships. Through dialogues with partner countries and key stakeholders, the EUCDs promote the exchange of climate policy best practices, foster cooperation on climate-resilient and carbon-neutral development, and enhance bilateral trade, investment, and innovation for the green transition.
- Euroclima
As part of the Global Gateway strategy, Euroclima builds partnerships between the European Union (EU) and the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) regions to drive a green and just transition. Through bilateral dialogues and regional collaboration, the programme engages with 33 partner countries and key regional organisations to identify priorities and translate them into concrete actions, fostering long-term environmental and climate resilience. By creating the right conditions and supporting key initiatives in priority sectors, Euroclima helps establish a solid foundation for a sustainable transition. The programme also facilitates the mobilisation of climate and green financing, addressing urgent environmental challenges.
Climate change adaptation
Climate change adaptation is context-sensitive and based on local and regional needs. The 2021 EU Climate Adaptation Strategy aims to make adaptation smarter, swifter, and more systemic, with a vision for a climate-resilient EU by 2050. This strategy enhances international climate resilience by providing resources, prioritising action, and scaling up finance and global engagement. In 2024, the first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) was published, which identifies 36 climate risks that pose a threat to Europe’s energy and food security, ecosystems, infrastructure, water resources, financial stability, and people’s health. Internationally, the EU promotes adaptation at sub-national, national, and regional levels, focusing on Least Developing countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Initiatives include:
- TEI on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Africa
TEI on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Africa aims to reach those most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, and to support and collaborate on important areas of work, such as early warning systems and Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance.
- TEI on Transboundary Water Management Initiative in Africa
TEI on Transboundary Water Management Initiative in Africa aims to enhance transboundary water management to support development and regional integration.
- TEI on Great Green Wall Initiative and its Accelerator Strategy
TEI on Great Green Wall Initiative and its Accelerator Strategy aims to re-green the Sahel region in Africa to combat desertification and improve livelihoods.
Disaster risk reduction
The EU integrates disaster risk reduction (DRR) into all policies and sectors through its external action, promoting coherence between DRR and climate adaptation, aiming to reduce disaster risk, promote sustainable development, and build a more resilient future for all. In line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the NDICI-Global Europe foresees that programmes mainstream DRR where relevant, addressing SDG interlinkages and promoting integrated actions that yield co-benefits, while complementing EU humanitarian efforts, in coherence with the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and the Council Conclusions on DRR (November 2022). Through our programs we facilitate access to Copernicus satellite data, promote risk-informed investments in clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and nature-based solutions, and support multi-hazard early warning systems, aligned with the UN-led EW4All initiative. The EU also supports the development of disaster risk finance and insurance programmes to enhance community and economic resilience.
Initiatives include:
- Intra-ACP Climate Services and related Applications Programme (ClimSA)
The Intra-ACP Climate Services and related Applications Programme (ClimSA) is an €85 million initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), funded by the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), aiming to foster sustainable development, by improving climate and disaster resilience, with the specific objective of strengthening the climate services value chain and thus providing an actionable knowledge base for policy and the attainment of SDGs 13, by strengthening production, availability, delivery and application of science-based climate prediction and services through 8 Regional Climate Centers (RCCs) in the six regions of the OACPS, and their capacity development, ultimately to ensure utilisation of these services.
- 11th European Development Fund Intra- African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme
Closing the climate protection gap and strengthening resilience is the objective of the 11th European Development Fund Intra-ACP Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme. With an EU investment of €100 million over five years, the action will deeply embed disaster risk reduction, adaptation to climate change and resilient recovery in the governance systems of ACP countries. The program also contributes to enhance Early Warning Systems, with a dedicated budget of €10 million.