€43 billion lost in Europe in 2025 due to natural disasters… What if we could act before it happens?
This staggering figure represents half of the EU’s annual budget and adds to the €738 billion in cumulative asset losses between 1980 and 2023 [2] for EU countries alone.
Yet, according to the World Bank’s report Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters, every euro invested in prevention can save up to €10 in losses [3]. But how many local authorities actually use field data to reduce risks?
Mayors and local governments must balance :
- Territorial development (local urban plans, master plans, etc.)
- Protection of people and property
- Management of increasingly frequent and severe natural crises, driven by climate change and urbanization.
To support them, Éric Leroi, a natural hazard expert and founder of QRISKA, answers our questions:
- What challenges do mayors face in sustainably planning their territories?
- Why and how should local populations—true ‘sensors’ of their territory—be mobilized?
- What concrete solutions can help prevent and reduce risks while improving the responsiveness of municipal services in daily life?
Read his interview and encourage your community to better understand its territory, protect its residents, and optimize its planning decisions.
[1] The cost of €43 billion for Europe in 2025 comes from a joint study by the European Central Bank and the University of Mannheim (September 2025).
[2] The €738 billion in cumulative losses (1980–2023) is based on data from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
[3] The ratio “€1 invested in prevention avoids up to €10 in losses” is drawn from the report Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters: The Economics of Effective Prevention (World Bank/UN, 2010).