Toward a transformative & fair EU approach to post-disaster reconstruction

by: Yannis Eustathopoulos | Study commissioned by Prof. Nikolaos Farantouris, Member of the European Parliament

September 2025

This report highlights the urgent need for a transformative and equitable European framework for post-disaster recovery in the context of escalating climate-related hazards. Drawing on recent disasters in Greece, Spain, and other EU Member States, it identifies persistent governance, policy, and knowledge gaps that undermine resilience and exacerbate social and territorial inequalities. The analysis reviews international experiences and best practices, stressing the importance of integrating climate adaptation, just transition, and sustainability principles into recovery strategies. Reconstruction must move beyond emergency relief to serve as a strategic driver of climate-resilient development, social cohesion, and the EU’s role as a global leader in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. To address these challenges, the report advances targeted policy recommendations: embedding Build Back Better principles into fiscal policy and funding mechanisms, strengthening post-disaster governance and evaluation of reconstruction, enhancing public administration, promoting education and training, and supporting research on sustainable recovery.