Refinq Ranked EU Regions by Climate Exposure

The Vienna-based startup analyzed 1,165 regions to identify those facing the highest physical climate risks by 2080.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Geography

Isometric editorial illustration of abstract geometric landform plates representing Mediterranean coastal topography, evoking climate vulnerability analysis. — Refinq ranked 1,165 European Union regions, identifying Ferrara, Italy, as the area facing the highest physical climate risk by 2080. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Refinq has published a new ranking of 1,165 NUTS-3 regions across the European Union based on their physical climate exposure. The analysis identifies Ferrara, Italy, as the region with the highest exposure score of 97.4.

Why it matters

The ranking provides data-driven insights ahead of the European Commission's upcoming climate resilience framework. It highlights the concentration of high-risk areas in Mediterranean nations.

The analysis uses the RCP8.5 high-emissions pathway for 2080, incorporating data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Resources Institute. Heat serves as the leading hazard for 51 of the 100 most exposed regions.

The players

Refinq

A startup based in Vienna that focuses on climate risk analytics and was founded in 2023.

European Commission

The executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions.

The details

Refinq calculated a combined score using an unweighted average of four climate hazards including heat, water scarcity, wildfire, and flooding. The ranking is intended to support evidence-based decision-making for policymakers and stakeholders.

September 2026: The Refinq 100 ranking was officially released.
October 2026: The European Commission plans to announce its climate resilience framework.
2080: This year serves as the target for high-emissions climate hazard projections.

The Big Picture

This ranking signals a shift toward standardized regional climate benchmarking in Europe. It follows a pattern set by the Copernicus Climate Change Service by utilizing established environmental datasets to quantify regional vulnerability to physical climate change.

Residents in high-risk zones, particularly in Italy, Spain, and Greece, may face increasing insurance premiums and localized infrastructure upgrades. These rankings provide a baseline for understanding how future climate policies may alter regional development priorities.

The takeaway

The Refinq data underscores that climate risk is not evenly distributed across the European Union. Readers in highly ranked regions should monitor local government adaptation plans for potential changes to water management and infrastructure resilience.