In recent years, climate change has become an increasingly tangible reality, with heat waves, droughts, floods, storms and fires occurring more frequently and putting severe strain on communities, ecosystems and economies. Europe is particularly vulnerable to these phenomena, experiencing a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
In order to better understand the impact of these changes and to equip ourselves with the necessary monitoring and analysis tools, the European Extreme Climate Index (E3CI) was created. This climate service is designed to measure and assess extreme weather events and their level of danger.
In September 2025, a scientific paper dedicated to the E3CI was published entitled ‘European Extreme Events Climate Index (E3CI): A Climate Service for Weather-Induced Hazards’. The paper presents and validates the Index, providing an in-depth analysis of its methodology, data sources, and key findings.
E3CI: the dedicated paper is online
This paper, written by researchers and professionals from the CMCC Foundation, the Leithà Unipol Group, and the IFAB Foundation, provides a thorough overview of the E3CI. It illustrates the study area and the process of constructing the indicator and proposes use cases to demonstrate its potential applications. The final section discusses the results and provides ideas for future work.
This scientific contribution confirms the E3CI’s status as an innovative tool for observing and interpreting climate change in Europe. It provides concrete support for research, adaptation policies and risk management.
The paper is available to download free of charge. Click here to access the article and find out more about the E3CI Index.