Study shows sharp decline in disaster preparedness in France, Greece and the Netherlands
A new global poll reveals that social resilience to disasters has fallen sharply in France, Greece and the Netherlands, with many warned citizens unable to act.
The Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s Global Safety Evidence Centre published a report based on a 2025 Gallup poll covering 143,000 respondents across 140 nations, showing that one-fifth of adults worldwide faced a disaster in the past five years. While 77% of EU residents affected by a disaster received warnings, only 59% could act on them, well below the 71% rate in high-income countries. France, Greece, the Netherlands and Estonia experienced the steepest drops in social resilience, with France’s ability to act falling to 61% and Greece’s to 39%.
Household disaster planning is low across the EU, at just 29%, and confidence in government preparedness is similarly weak. The study stresses that warnings alone are insufficient without the means for people to respond effectively.
Why it matters
The findings expose gaps in Europe’s ability to protect citizens from disasters, highlighting urgent needs for better preparedness and support.
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