Image from Wikimedia Commons
Storm Leonard has brought intense rainfall to Portugal, causing flooding across river basins, placing pressure on urban infrastructure and creating direct impacts on productive and logistical regions.
This is not an isolated event. It is part of a climate pattern that is becoming increasingly frequent across Europe.
Extreme weather events are no longer exceptions — they are now factored into economic calculations. Flooding affects supply chains, insurance markets, agriculture, tourism, urban mobility and public investment. At the same time, it forces companies and governments to rethink planning, risk management and sustainability.
In Europe, where stability has long been synonymous with predictability, the climate is beginning to challenge traditional models of growth and governance.
Storm Leonard exposes a silent but decisive shift: climate has become a strategic business factor.
Today, leaders and companies are no longer judged solely by financial results, but by their ability to anticipate scenarios, protect assets and respond to systemic risks. Resilient infrastructure, intelligent insurance, urban planning and sustainable investment are no longer institutional rhetoric — they are now criteria for competitiveness.
For the business world, the message is clear: those who ignore climate impact operate in the short term. Those who integrate it build relevance, trust and longevity.
Europe’s economic future will increasingly be shaped by how it responds to — or anticipates — events like this.
How are leaders and companies redesigning strategy in a world where climate already influences economic decisions?
