The main goal of the JRC PESETA program is to try to understand the scale and distribution of climate risks in Europe, providing a science-based, quantitative and consistent multi-risk assessment for a broad set of specific risks. The program consists of a series of projects which have been running for almost 2 decades. The first PESETA study was launched in 2006 (JRC PESETA I) and the latest JRC PESETA V project is currently being conducted. PESETA stands for Projection of Economic impacts of climate change in SEctors of the EU, based on boTtom-up Analysis
The JRC PESETA projects have accompanied the main EU climate policy initiatives, both related to mitigation and adaptation policies, since 2007, with the adoption of the Green Paper on adaptation. The JRC PESETA findings are of high policy relevance. A sound understanding of the possible consequences of climate change for Europe (the costs of climate inaction) is needed to justify the mitigation policy. Moreover, adaptation policy has the potential to lower the severity of the climate change impacts on people, economy and environment by increasing the resilience of societies and economies.
Contributing to EU Climate Policy through High-Resolution Models
Thus, the JRC PESETA projects have provided crucial information supporting the two pillars of EU climate policy i.e. the Green Deal and the Climate Adaptation Strategy. Moreover, it has provided support to other key policy initiatives such as disaster risk management, environment, agriculture and financial stability. This has been achieved thanks to the development at JRC of large scale, high resolution models, both scientifically sound and policy-relevant.
Details of the PESTA V project are available on the dedicated page. Each of the finished JRC PESETA projects can be found in this web site. The role of the JRC has evolved throughout the projects, from having a coordination role, with both JRC modelling analyses and outsourced modelling (JRC PESETA I), to JRC becoming the main scientific contributor, where most of the modelling is conducted in-house and analysed by the JRC (JRC PESETA II, III, IV and V). JRC has also worked closely with RTD funded projects and other Commission initiatives on climate risks and resilience, e.g. the EUCRA report. (EUCRA, European Climate Risk Assessment)
