What happens when extreme weather, power cuts and communication failures hit towns and cities at the same time? In this episode of lensEU, we explore how well prepared Europe is for crises – and what authorities and the public can do to protect themselves.

CORRECTIV surveyed all 401 counties and urban districts in Germany about their state of crisis preparedness. The findings reveal gaps in emergency plans, staffing, shelters and preparations for prolonged power cuts.

We also hear from emergency responders and a mayor in Ukraine about their experiences. Our colleague Cátia Vilaça from the Portuguese media outlet Gerador reports on the impact of severe storms in Portugal, while Polish security expert and author from OKO.press, Michal Piekarski, discusses efforts to rebuild crisis preparedness.

The key message is clear: we should not wait until a crisis hits to take action. We need to prepare in advance and learn from the experiences of others.

Host and producer: Lilith Grull

Editorial contribution: Johannes Gille, Katarina Huth, Frida Thurm, Marius Münstermann, Carolin Lewandowska, Philipp Waak, Benjamin Werner, Stella Hesch, Rose Mintzer-Sweeney

Comments and feedback: europe@correctiv.org

LENS EU – A closer look at the issues shaping Europe’s shared community is a collaboration between media organisations and institutions from across Europe. The joint project is co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission.

This episode explores what is lost when existing buildings disappear – from valuable materials to social and environmental resources. Demolition creates large amounts of waste, while new construction generates additional emissions and can push up housing costs.

We also took a closer look at local cases: In Germany, CORRECTIV’s reporter Marius Münstermann investigated a historic estate in Essen that had been home to residents for generations but needed to make room for more expensive housing.

In Greece, our network member, Danai Maragoudaki from SOLOMON, investigates the rapid transformation of Athens and other cities – primarily driven by tourism and investors’ interests.

In Poland, Wojciech Kość from OKO.press looks at the future of prefabricated apartment blocks, homes for roughly 12 million people.

Do you know of a building that was or is going to be demolished? You can add it and its story to the growing Database on demolitions in Europe here.

Host and producer: Lilith Grull 


Editorial contribution: Marius Münstermann, Frida Thurm 


Comments and feedback: europe@correctiv.org.

LENS EU – A closer look at the issues shaping Europe’s shared community is a collaboration between media organisations and institutions from across Europe. The joint project is co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission.

In the latest episode of the lensEU podcast, we explore water pollution in Europe – with a particular focus on bathing waters across Europe.

In the EU, there exist at least 7,866 bathing sites officially classified as clean that are located in bodies of water proven to be contaminated with chemical pollutants. What does this mean for people? And for nature?

In this episode, we examine the impact of chemical pollutants in the water, who monitors water quality, where the pollution comes from, and what happens when water quality no longer meets the required standards.

To answer these questions, we spoke to experts and local journalists, primarily in Germany and Latvia.

Host and producer: Lilith Grull 
Editorial contribution: Marius Münstermann, Frida Thurm, Rose Mintzer-Sweeney 
Comments and feedback: europe@correctiv.org

You can find CORRECTIV.Europe’s full investigation here in English and here in German. It also includes the interactive atlas, which allows you to check the situation in your own region.

Märkische Oderzeitung has published two related articles. The first looks at three landfill sites near Bernau. In the second, a politician comments on the situation.

You can read more about the situation in Latvia here.

LENS EU – A closer look at the issues shaping Europe’s shared community is a collaboration between media organisations and institutions from across Europe. The joint project is co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission.