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
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 and 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 content of adaptation strategies, the way in which 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 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 maximise 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 project outset. They are flanked by management and communication activities.
ADAPTO builds policy capacity at individual and organisational level. In all steps, partners involve quadruple helix stakeholders (public authorities – i.e. civil protection, transport, energy, economy, health, education, etc. – universities, business associations, 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 policy. It identifies measures being put into place in each territory and at different governance levels. Focus then turns to assessing:
- Current capacity in terms of foresight to predict and analyse impacts of climate change;
- 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 socal groups;
- Social, economic and environmental risks and costs;
- 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 interegional Challenge matrix.
Step 2 – Identifying the Solutions (Semesters 2-4)
Partners shift the focus to identification of Good Practices (GP) available in their territory. They undertake a second phase of territorial analysis in order 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 KPIs that can assess effectiveness of adaptation actions;
- 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 matching 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, study visits), expert support from Advisory partner to analyse and match GPs and identify gaps.
Step 3 – Making the Change (Semesters 3-6)
Partners take the feasibility checks into consideration, 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 prioritise 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), expert support from Advisory partner to define, plan and achieve policy improvements.
Project Outputs
Methodological Handbook prepared by the LP and Advisory Partner at 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), support from expert advisory partner in gathering and analysing information, resulting in an interegional 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
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.
Main Contact
Elaine Cleary