In this analysis we examine the Special Eurobarometer 547 on risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population. The Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO) commissioned this survey to assess the awareness of EU citizens and their preparedness to face various disasters. Verian (formerly Kantar Public) conducted the survey.
Between 1980 and 2020, natural disasters affected almost 50 million people in the EU. At the same time, projections suggest that the effects of climate change will only make disasters more frequent and severe. This emphasises the need for prevention and preparedness initiatives within the EU to face these challenges. Recently, devastating floods in Central Europe and raging wildfires in Southern Europe have further highlighted the necessity for such measures.
The EU plays a crucial role in coordinating disaster responses across Europe and beyond. For instance, the European Commission established the ‘European Disaster Resilience Goals’ to increase disaster-preparedness. Additionally, the ‘EU Civil Protection Mechanism’ is Europe’s key response to disasters and crises.
According to the Special Eurobarometer 547, only 37% of the EU citizens agree that they feel well prepared for disasters or emergencies that may happen in the area where they live. In contrast, almost six in ten (58%) disagrees with this statement.
The following figures further reflect this perceived lack of preparation by EU citizens:
Only one third of respondents consider that emergency services or authorities encourage them to take training or prepare for disasters or emergencies. Similarly, only one quarter of respondents consider that their employer or school does so. Moreover, almost two thirds of respondents (65%) agree that they need more information to be able to prepare for disasters or emergencies.
On a positive note, more than eight in ten respondents (85%) across the EU trust emergency services and authorities to properly handle disasters or emergency situations. This trust is crucial for an effective disaster response.
There are considerable differences in perception between EU Member States. For example, 65% of respondents in Slovenia agree that they feel well prepared for disasters or emergencies, compared to only 25% in Malta.
A further exploration of this finding reveals the following insights:
In Slovenia, Finland and Sweden, the three countries where the population feel the most prepared, the proportion of respondents who know what do in the event of a disaster and how they will be alerted by emergency services is well above the EU average.
By contrast, the figures for Malta and Portugal lie below the EU average. This highlights the large variability in perceived risk preparedness across Member States.
Additionally, an analysis of respondents’ risk preparedness based on their socio-demographic characteristics provides valuable insights.
These findings hint towards consequences of the digital divide. In fact, digital technologies play a vital role in disaster-preparedness. Recognizing this, the UN ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative aims to ensure everyone is protected by early warning systems by 2027.
Across all EU countries, 39% of respondents say they have no time or money to prepare properly, thus emphasising the crucial role of financial stability for risk preparedness.
These patterns appear to confirm previous findings that, for example, one’s access to services and socio-economic status affect disaster risk and resilience. Overall, these findings highlight the need for extensive risk preparedness and risk awareness measures that incorporate these sociodemographic dimensions.
This Special Eurobarometer 547 on the risk awareness and preparedness of the EU population was part of the Eurobarometer wave 101.1 and was conducted between 7 February and 3 March 2024. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with a total of 26.411 European citizens across all 27 Member States. At the national level, weights are used to match the responding sample to the universe on gender by age, region, and degree of urbanisation. For European estimates (i.e. EU average), an adjustment is made to the individual country weights, weighting them up or down to reflect their 15+ population as a proportion of the EU 15+ population.