As floods sweep across Europe, questions resurface about our readiness for climate extremes. A European research team has developed practical tools to bridge the gap between science and policy. Yet experts warn only by coupling adaptation with emission cuts can we achieve truly sustainable resilience

The frequency and severity of the latest extreme weather events in Europe has sent out a strong alarm signal, urging both local authorities and scientists to act.

Railways and public transport systems are particularly vulnerable to thunderstorms. But early warning remains a challenge, which makes it hard for operators to take adequate measures

Assessing the social and economic impact of power outages caused by extreme weather helps decision makers and grid operators in Europe take adequate measures to ensure future power supply

The damage and threats caused by extreme weather events have become more varied in different regions across Europe and worldwide in recent years. 

To mitigate the effects of extreme weather events adequate warning systems and preparation are important

More and more frequent extreme weather events lead to new projects on risk management and spatial planning. Past experiences represent an added value and suggest the importance of greater involvement of local communities

Improved safety management and further collaboration between experts are required to minimise the risk of flooding at coastal nuclear plants in Europe

People suffering from pollen allergy may benefit from efforts to model pollen levels across Europe. But actual observations and personalised data are also essential.

Solar energy is ever more becoming an important source of renewable power generation. A serious problem for the productivity of solar power plants is desert dust: it obscures the sun and makes the mirrors dirty. 

A new service is making high-resolution data of direct sunlight publicly available for users such as planners of large solar power systems 

Global simulation models taking into account the varied sources of emission and behaviour of principal air pollutants are now available to climate, weather and pollution forecasting scientists

It is now possible to sense scientific data as a means to deal with the mountains of information we face in our environment by applying subconscious processing to big data analysis

As the link between air pollution and several illnesses has been established, air quality forecast will play an increasing role in mitigating health risk.  

Finding out the big picture on environmental health is a challenge that can be met, thanks to a new integrated tool, as long as input data is reliable

Scientists are developing methods and tools that look at multiple natural hazards and how they interact to be in a better position to deal with their consequences

Estimating the contribution of greenhouse gases from Africa is key in ensuring our picture of global warming is accurate. But this would require constant monitoring that has not been sustained.

A network solution enables business users to share environmental information across supply chains, albeit at the cost of considerable effort to gather it all into a single information space.

Preparing for extreme weather events that cannot precisely be anticipated, such as flash floods, is a challenge that can be addressed. But the predictions are only as good as the models used.