Climate Change Adaptation and Economic Resilience in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comparative Institutional and Policy Analysis

Dorota Michalak

doi:10.18778/1508-2008.29.09

Authors

Dorota Michalak University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9456-2500

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1508-2008.29.09

Keywords:

climate change adaptation, economic resilience, Central and Eastern Europe, climate policy, public institutions, behavioral economics, EU funding, agriculture, comparative analysis, adaptation strategies

Abstract

This article explores how a group of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, including Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States, are navigating the challenge of adapting to climate change. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all account, it looks at what adaptation really means in practice: how institutions are stepping up (or falling short), how EU funds are being put to use, and how different sectors, particularly agriculture, are responding on the ground. The analysis focuses on the structures, tools, and behavioral patterns that shape climate resilience, paying close attention to micro-level decisions by farmers, households, and small businesses. Drawing on institutional and policy analysis, as well as insights from behavioral economics, the paper highlights both the momentum and the stumbling blocks facing adaptation across the region.

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