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)
artners 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)
-
- Partners shift the focus to the identification of Good Practices (GP) available in their territory. They undertake a second phase of territorial analysis to identify public policy solutions and examples of effective adaptation actions.
-
- Expected areas of interest for GPs include:
-
- The process of defining adaptation targets and goals;
-
- Examples of foresight/assessment techniques to guarantee that strategies keep pace with evolving risks;
-
- Examples of multi-level/sectoral and participative governance;
-
- Practical examples of publicly supported adaptation measures, for a range of economic sectors.
-
- An interregional feasibility check method considers specific characteristics of each GP and technical, economic, and implementation aspects. Subsequently, the approach turns to match challenges (from step 1) and solutions (identified GPs).
-
- Activities include: desk analysis, stakeholder consultations to identify GPs, participative brainstorming on GPs during stakeholder meetings, interregional workshops (with feasibility checks, stakeholder participation, and study visits), and expert support from Advisory partners to analyze and match GPs and identify gaps.
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.
