Extreme weather events a ‘concern’ for two fifths of EU citizens

‘Extreme weather events’ are a concern for just under two fifths (38%) of EU citizens, a Eurobarometer study on how people perceive their exposure to disaster risks has found.

According to the study, 27% cite ‘human health emergencies’ as a concern, while 26% cite flooding, 23% cite cybersecurity threats, 22% cite political or geopolitical tensions, including civil unrest, and 21% cite ‘critical infrastructure disruption’.

Country by country

Perceptions differ from country to country, the study found, with citizens in Greece (61%), Malta (56%), Slovenia, and Hungary (48%) feel most exposed to extreme weather.

In Portugal and Cyprus, wildfires are seen as a core threat, cited by 49% and 47% respectively.

In contrast, cybersecurity is a top concern in Sweden (57%) and Denmark (49%), while Estonian citizens feel the most vulnerable to infrastructure disruptions (49%). Germany is the country with the highest level of concern about political tensions (38%).

Public authorities and emergency services

Trust in public authorities and emergency services remains relatively high across Europe. Some 70% of EU citizens say they trust these institutions to provide accurate information on disaster risks in their area, while nearly half do not know where to find disaster-related information when traveling to another EU country.

According to the study, the majority of EU citizens (75%) say that they believe that preparing for disasters will help them better cope when they occur. However, 58% noted that they do not feel well-prepared for potential emergencies, and 39% cite a lack of time or financial resources as barriers to preparedness.

Taking action

Although 57% say they know how emergency services will alert them during a disaster, nearly half (48%) feel unsure about what actions to take in such situations. Additionally, 65% believe they need more information to effectively prepare for emergencies.

Elsewhere, in the event of a disaster taking place, close to nine in ten (89%) respondents would rely on family or friends in the days following a disaster, while 81% said that they would expect to rely on emergency services, and 73% would rely on ‘people in [their] neighbourhood’.