The European Commission launches the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change portal

15/05/2023

• The new platform provides information, data and tools on climate vulnerability and risks for use at regional and local levels.

The EU Mission on Adaptation is aimed at supporting regions and communities to speed up their transformation towards climate resilience by 2030. It does this by helping these regions and authorities to better understand, prepare for and manage climate risks, and to develop innovative solutions to increase their resilience.

Now, in order to further the Mission's goals, the European Commission has launched a new portal hosted by the European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate-ADAPT), which provides information, data, events and an online area where regional and local authorities can receive technical support.

The new tool provides easy access to important data on specific climate vulnerability and risks that regional and local authorities need to tackle. This includes phenomena that are already taking their toll on Europe, such as heat waves, droughts, forest fires and coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels. In addition, authorities will be able to obtain practical information for each phase of the implementation of their climate change adaptation plans through the Regional Adaptation Support Tool, which will soon be available.

The portal also links to an online area, called the EU Mission Adaptation Community of Practice, which can be accessed by signatories to the Mission Charter, friends of the Mission and the competent climate change adaptation authorities. In it, regional and local authorities can receive technical support on advancing and funding their climate adaptation planning processes, on identifying and funding demonstration projects, and on mobilising and engaging citizens and stakeholders in climate change adaptation.

Regions4Climate, an example of collaboration

One of the projects funded under the Adaptation Mission is Regions4Climate, a project involving 12 European regions, including the Basque Country, which aims to collaboratively develop and demonstrate a socially just transition to climate resilience.

In the case of the Basque Country, the planned pilot project consists of the comprehensive environmental restoration of degraded intertidal areas in Plaiaundi, in the Bay of Txingudi, to increase coastal resilience to climate change. The Basque Government's Department for Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment, Ihobe and the technology centres Tecnalia and Azti, all partners in the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050project, are actively involved in the pilot experience. The concept of working in collaboration with different partners within the framework of the latter has been instrumental in enabling several of its entities to get involved in Regions4Climate.

Urban Klima 2050, which will transform the Basque region by carrying out a total of 40 actions on adaptation to climate change, has become an example of collaboration between institutions and stakeholders, with the participation of 20 partner organisations including several departments of the Basque Government, the three provincial councils, seven municipalities (Bakio, Bermeo, Bilbao, Donostia/San Sebastián, Gernika-Lumo, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Zarautz), five technology centres and the Naturklima Foundation.