A new survey reveals big communication gaps, especially in Southern European countries.
Storm Boris swept through central Europe last year, while devastating floods hit Spain and Germany, claiming at least 258 lives in total.
These three catastrophes – which were among the top 10 costliest climate events globally last year – indicate the critical importance of disaster preparedness.
However, fewer than four in ten Europeans feel that they are well-prepared for disasters or emergencies in their areas, according to a new Eurobarometer survey.
Even more concerning, fewer than one in ten respondents reported being informed about their city’s disaster or emergency response plan.
So, how do Europeans’ perceptions of disaster preparedness vary – and why?
Which countries have a clear disaster plan?
According to the survey, conducted in February and March 2024 with over 26,000 European participants, only 9 per cent of EU citizens say they know about their city, region or country’s plan for a disaster or emergency. This includes procedures for evacuation, places to shelter or to get help.
Though these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a big difference between them according to the UN. An emergency is an event that can be managed with available resources. While a disaster overwhelms the capacity of local responders and requires external aid.
This proportion varies significantly across countries, ranging from just 2 per cent in Malta and Greece to 20 per cent in Sweden, followed by 19 per cent in Finland.
The case of the two Nordic countries is not surprising, as at least one in five respondents have “participated in training or an exercise to learn how to react in an emergency”.
Emphasising the critical need for disaster preparedness, David Alexander, Professor of Emergency Planning and Management at University College London (UCL), recalls the more than 200 lives lost in the Valencia floods last October.
“The event was neither unexpected nor adequately prepared for. A meteorological warning was available, but the administrative part of the warning process (decision to warn, issue of a warning, etc) was ineffective and so was the social reaction,” he tells Euronews Green.
The highest scores are still relatively low, indicating even the most informed country has only 1 in 5 people aware of their city’s disaster plan. This suggests a major communication gap between (local) governments and citizens regarding emergency preparedness.
For example, when respondents were asked, “Do you know how emergency services will alert you in the event of a disaster?”, only half of those in Spain agreed, compared to the EU average of 57 per cent.
“Households with a plan in place are more likely to feel able to protect themselves,” says Ed Morrow, senior campaigns manager at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a global safety charity.
Which countries feel least prepared for disasters?
Relatedly, the majority of EU citizens (58 per cent) do not feel well prepared for disasters or emergencies that may happen in the area where they live. Only 37 per cent consider themselves well prepared.
This refers to “personal preparedness” – not the respondents’ thoughts about their local authorities or countries.
The perception of being well prepared varies significantly by country, ranging from 25 per cent in Malta to 65 per cent in Slovenia.
Other findings offer insights into why Slovenia has higher confidence in disaster preparedness. The survey was carried out in early 2024, the year after the country was devastated by floods.
In it, 31 per cent of respondents say they have engaged in voluntary work to increase disaster resilience, the highest among all surveyed countries.
Southern European countries report the lowest sense of being well prepared. They included Portugal (27 per cent), Greece (28 per cent), Spain (29 per cent), and Italy (34 per cent).
These countries are prone to natural disasters like wildfires and heatwaves which are intensifying with climate change.
This perception is below 40 per cent in major Western and Central European countries, including the Netherlands (31 per cent), France (30 per cent), and Belgium (37 per cent).
Eastern European countries and Baltic states such as Latvia and Bulgaria also had low confidence rates.
Only five countries have a majority of people who feel well-prepared, and just one – Slovenia – exceeds 60 per cent.
Knowing what to do in the event of a disaster may be more relevant than simply feeling prepared. However, fewer than half (46 per cent) in the EU reported knowing this, while a slightly higher share (48 per cent) admitted not knowing.
“Europeans are feeling increasingly powerless in the face of disasters,” Morrow says.
The share of people reporting knowing what to do in the event of a disaster ranges from 30 per cent in Malta to 84 per cent in Slovenia.
Northern and Central European countries (Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Austria) rank highest, while Mediterranean and Southern European nations (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Malta) are the least confident in knowing what to do during an emergency.
Why do Southern Europeans feel less prepared for emergencies?
“People in the south of Europe are generally more exposed to disasters related to natural hazards than those in the north and west,” Morrow says.
According to Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s 2023 World Risk Poll report, one in five people (20 per cent) in Southern Europe reported experiencing a disaster in the past five years, compared to one in eight (13 per cent) in Northern and Western Europe.
Regarding the lower confidence levels in Southern Europe, UCL’s Professor Alexander
thinks this is likely due to the increasing magnitude and frequency of natural hazards in the Mediterranean region.
“It may also reflect lower confidence in government as leader and protector in this field,” he adds.
The rankings by country mostly align with the perception of being well-prepared. But there are some notable shifts between these two indicators. For instance, the Netherlands and Greece rank significantly higher in knowing what to do, while Belgium and Hungary rank lower compared to their perceived level of preparedness.
Perception vs actual knowledge about climate disasters
The feeling of being well-prepared and self-reported knowledge do not necessarily reflect actual capability. “People commonly overestimate their own resilience,” says Professor Alexander.
He points to a study on flooding in eastern England that revealed misconceptions among homeowners when asked: “Are you prepared to find your house flooded?”
Many of those who answered yes said they would “go upstairs and stay there until the water level goes down.” But they then admitted they did not realise they would be without electricity, heating or water supply.
Two-thirds seek more information on disaster preparedness
The survey also revealed that a clear majority (65 per cent) of EU citizens feel they need more information to be able to prepare for disasters or emergencies. This ranged from 43 per cent in Sweden to 84 per cent in Greece.
Southern EU countries Greece, Portugal, Malta, Spain, Cyprus, and Italy feel the least informed.
Almost half of Europeans (49 per cent) say that they would use national media if they wanted to learn about disaster risks.
“They need better access to good, hard information on what the risks are and how to respond to them,” Professor Alexander recommends.
He highlights the crucial role of public and community participation in disaster preparedness, arguing that “we need standards for emergency planning. We need to get serious about disaster response.”
Morrow also urges policymakers to support disaster preparedness at the household level, alongside local, regional, and national planning efforts.
Time is of the essence. Extreme weather events driven by the climate crisis led to more than 765,000 deaths worldwide between 1993 and 2022.
Three European countries – Italy, Greece, and Spain – are among those facing the greatest human and economic impact from extreme weather.
