ADAPTO

021-2027 Interreg EUROPE programme

TUS Project Budget: €137,658

Total Project Budget: €1,485,524

Project Reference Number: INTERREG 02C0657 Regions adapting to climate change

Duration

• Start Date: 01/04/2024
• Duration: Core phase 36 months
• Follow-up phase: 12 months
• End Date: 30 June 2028

• Main Contact
• Elaine Cleary
• Elaine.cleary@tus.ie

Brief Overview/Project Summary

The overall aim of the ADAPTO project is to increase territorial resilience to current and future climate change impacts, through interregional exchange on design, development implementation, and monitoring of climate adaptation policy measures.

The specific objectives, designed to achieve this overall aim, are thus to:

• 1. Understand the status quo in each territory, considering the content of adaptation strategies, how risks/vulnerabilities are assessed and targets/goals are defined, capacity and expertise of entities tasked with adaptation actions.
• 2. Use interregional analysis on the status quo to support the identification of Good Practices that can help design and develop assessment, foresight, implementation, and monitoring tools;
• 3. Build capacity among public authorities and stakeholders to cooperate for improved, multi-level governance of climate adaption;
• 4. Use all of the above to design and implement smart, systemic, and swift adaptation plans.

Project Aim(s) & Objective(s)

ADAPTO’s core phase approach is designed to maximize the impact of interregional exchange activities on policy improvement in all regions. It uses 3 interlinked steps detailed in a Methodological Handbook prepared by the LP and Advisory Partner at the project’s outset. They are flanked by management and communication activities.

ADAPTO builds policy capacity at the individual and organizational levels. In all steps, partners involve quadruple helix stakeholders (public authorities – i.e. civil protection, transport, energy, economy, health, education, etc. – universities, business associations, and civil society orgs).

Step 1 – Understanding the Status Quo (Semesters 1-2)

Partners undertake an in-depth analysis to map the status quo in their territory on vulnerabilities and adaptation measures. It covers different elements included in current climate adaptation strategies and related policies. It identifies measures being put into place in each territory and at different governance levels. The focus then turns to assessing:

1. Current capacity in terms of foresight to predict and analyse impacts of climate change;
2. Challenges and vulnerabilities of different sectors (i.e. agriculture, public health, energy, natural ecosystem, tourism, water, etc) / different territorial areas (i.e. coastal/rural/more or less densely populated) / different social groups.
3. Social, economic and environmental risks and costs;
4. The role of different stakeholders, at various governance levels, and of citizens.

Activities include: desk analysis, interregional workshops, stakeholder meetings, participatory tools (focus groups and online surveys co-designed by partners and administered in local languages), support from expert advisory partner in gathering and analysing information, resulting in an interregional Challenge matrix.

Step 2 – Identifying the Solutions (Semesters 2-4)

Step 3 – Making the Change (Semesters 3-6)

• Partners consider the feasibility checks, and adapt and transfer solutions identified during Step 2, to improve their policy instruments (new projects/management/revisions). For each selected policy instrument, partners identify areas for improvement and ways of applying these improvements (related to categories of challenges and GPs). They prioritize changes based on their capacity to make them happen, key territorial needs, and availability of knowledge and GP. All partners work toward achieving improvements in the core phase.
• Activities include: focus groups during stakeholder meetings, in-depth consultations with key stakeholders, citizen consultations, interregional workshops (with peer exchange sessions and visits, in-depth reviews), and expert support from Advisory partners to define, plan, and achieve policy improvements.

Project Outputs

• Methodological Handbook prepared by the LP and Advisory Partner at the project outset
• Activities include: desk analysis, interregional workshops, stakeholder meetings, participatory tools (focus groups and online surveys co-designed by partners and administered in local languages), and support from expert advisory partners in gathering and analyzing information, resulting in an interregional Challenge matrix.

Project Partners

• Cyprus Energy Agency ADAPTO | (cea.org.cy)
• Tipperary County Council Tipperary Climate Action Projects | Tipperary County Council (tipperarycoco.ie)

Further Information

ADAPTO – Regions adapting to climate change | Interreg Europe – Sharing solutions for better policy

On May 9-10 2024, the first Interreg Europe ADAPTO project meeting dedicated to climate change mitigation and adaptation took place in Nicosia, Cyprus. Representatives from various European institutions gathered to discuss and strategize on tackling climate change challenges collaboratively

ADAPTO Launch in Cyprus – Diverse Challenges – Common Goal | Interreg Europe – Sharing solutions for better policy

The ADAPTO project unites eight partners from across Europe, each working to develop climate change adaptation strategies at various governance levels. These partners face unique challenges such as generating knowledge and insights, defining adaptation capabilities, assessing vulnerability, and planning actions. By bringing together diverse experiences and expertise, the ADAPTO project fosters a cooperative environment where partners can share best practices and learn from each other. This approach ensures the effective communication and implementation of smart, systematic, and responsive adaptation plans across different regions.