Overview

• The Potsdam Institute study published in Science Advances analyzed 1,729 floods across Europe from 1950 to 2020.
• Combined structural and non-structural measures—including upgraded levees, private preparedness, early-warning systems and emergency planning—reduced economic damages by about 63%.
• Flood-related fatalities declined by roughly 52% over the seven-decade period.
• When adjusted for GDP, the economic burden of flooding now stands at approximately one-third of its 1950s level.
• Authors warn that recent adaptation gains have plateaued and urge renewed investment and innovation to prevent future floods from outpacing defenses as the climate warms further.