Climate Change: Wildfires and Businesses
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
In recent years, extreme climate events have been occurring more frequently. This trend is directly linked to climate change and rising temperatures. A characteristic example is wildfires.
According to the Copernicus organization, atmospheric emissions from wildfires in Europe during the summer of 2025 reached the highest levels recorded in the past 23 years, significantly degrading air quality. Smoke is not confined to the areas where fires occur but can travel long distances, affecting even urban centers. At the same time, the large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) released further intensify climate change, creating a vicious cycle in which wildfires worsen the conditions that cause them.
Wildfires now pose a serious risk to businesses, as they can cause damage to facilities, equipment, and affect the health of employees. The cost of recovery can be particularly high.
This has direct consequences for human health, as the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere increases, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular problems. As a result, climate change affects not only the environment but also people’s quality of life, creating indirect pressures on businesses.
Wildfires have now become a significant risk for businesses, as they can impact employee health and cause direct damage to buildings, facilities, and equipment. Even when destruction is not total, recovery costs can be substantial. At the same time, many businesses are forced to temporarily suspend operations, leading to revenue losses and delays in customer service.
To reduce risks and ensure business continuity, a company must integrate climate change into its strategy by investing in resilient infrastructure and sustainable practices.
In other words, extreme weather events are no longer a rare risk but a real threat to business assets and operational continuity. Therefore, businesses are called to integrate climate change into their strategy by investing in resilient infrastructure and more efficient, sustainable practices that reduce risk and ensure continuity.
With platforms such as RIBIA and RiskClima, E-On addresses, at an initial level, the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which now requires timely assessment and reporting of these risks, as well as sustainability strategies.
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