• Extreme weather events across Europe underscore the urgent need for accurate, actionable climate reporting 

• RESIST Project empowers journalists to cover climate emergencies and their root causes, strengthening resilience and awareness across Europe 

As Europe faces unprecedented floods, wildfires, and heatwaves, the media’s role in delivering clear, reliable information about how these emergencies connect with the impacts of climate change is more crucial than ever. The RESIST project event ‘Media Insights: Advancing Climate Emergency Reporting in European Newsrooms‘ will empower media professionals with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to produce accurate, timely and impactful reporting.  

Speakers Aline Flor from Público and David Latona from Reuters will share insights on reporting on climate change. The session will also include other experts and a hands-on session to identify gaps and co-create guidelines for reporting on climate change-related emergencies.  

Extreme weather events and climate change in Europe  

Recent record-breaking events, from devastating floods in central Europe and Spain to severe wildfires in Portugal, illustrate how climate impacts are becoming a direct threat to communities and economies across the continent. 

Over the past three decades, floods in Europe have affected 5.5 million people, claimed nearly 3,000 lives and caused more than €170 billion in damages. In 2021, severe flooding in Germany and Belgium killed over 200 people and caused €44 billion in damages. Slovenia’s flood losses in 2023 amounted to around 16% of its GDP, while Greece’s vital agricultural region was under water in the same year.  

The summer of 2024 also set new records as the hottest globally and within Europe, marking an urgent escalation in climate extremes. 

With climate risks projected to intensify, the European Climate Risk Assessment warns that agriculture, energy, and public health sectors are at growing risk. Journalists are on the front lines of these crises, tasked with communicating the facts and mobilizing public awareness.  

Yet reporting on climate emergencies requires specialised knowledge and tools to interpret complex science and convey risks effectively. Misinformation on climate issues also remains a challenge, highlighting the need for well-informed, resilient reporting. 

The Role of RESIST: Supporting European Regions on the Climate Frontline 

The RESIST Project is helping European regions strengthen resilience to climate risks by fostering partnerships and knowledge-sharing across 12 areas. Four lighthouse regions (Southwest Finland, Central Denmark, Catalonia, and Central Portugal) develop adaptation strategies for specific local risks using advanced research and technologies. These regions mentor eight others, supporting them in building targeted responses to climate challenges.  

RESIST focuses on building adaptation to challenges linked to droughts, floods, heatwaves, soil erosion, and wildfires. Through collaboration, RESIST empowers communities to prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate the impacts of climate change across Europe. Journalists are a key piece in communities and for that the project is committed to supporting European journalists in adapting to this evolving media landscape, through media sessions like the one on Tuesday 19 November.