2.1.3. Examples from countries

Recognition of the importance of the need for adaptation within the adaptation policy process

A number of countries provide some information in their responses that indicates the awareness of the need for adaptation in furthering adaptation.

Latvia

Latvia recognises the importance of visibility of adaptation in the adaptation policy process. Elements of that roadmap that particularly relate to visibility are:

• Raising awareness of on-going adaptation activities and projects – creation of a national Internet portal on climate and adaptation to climate change to raise awareness of specialists as well as of general public.
• Stakeholder mapping and cooperation – regular communications within the frame of two re-established work groups (one of experts and one of ministerial specialist) with targeted round table discussions and expert meeting on specific topic that include inviting all relevant stakeholders.
• Awareness raising on climate change – recognised importance of raising awareness of the general public on issues related to climate change and of specialists at state and municipal authorities levels on climate change, related impacts, risks and opportunities, as well as adaptation possibilities.
• Ministry capacity building – need to increase the number of staff in the Ministry within the Climate and Environmental policy integration department able to deal with climate change adaptation issues on a national level.
• Defining the goal and the main directions of the strategy – the timeframe developed includes regular review and communication of activities with experts, ministerial specialists, relevant stakeholders and the general public.
• Preparation of national policy planning document – process recognises the need for regular communications and consultations with specialists and stakeholders (2013-2016) on, for example, selection of indicators for detailed assessment of impacts and risks for various sectors with elaboration of the national climate change adaptation strategy (2015-2016).

This roadmap addresses the barriers to adaptation identified by Latvia – lack of political commitment/will, unclear responsibilities and lack of (financial, human) resources. The roadmap is also consistent with the reported importance within the self-assessment survey of targeting discussions with stakeholder groups on climate change risks and possible adaptation measures, national coordination of activities and raising importance of climate change and adaptation in the eyes of all stakeholders. As indicated within the roadmap, these challenges are considered as particularly acute considering that various sectors and municipalities often have different priorities (e.g., social issues, economic recession, business development, and quick solutions to infrastructure issues). Towards addressing these challenges, the roadmap includes elements targeted at increasing the visibility of adaptation, particularly the added value of considering adaptation.

Turkey

Turkey indicated in its response that awareness about adaptation to climate change is very important and part of good practice. In this perspective it reported that public awareness of climate change and its impacts, and the need for adaptation is a project for the education sector.

Providing up-to-date information on impacts and vulnerability and on adaptation policies and actions

There are specific references within the self-assessment survey response to the need to provide information on adaptation policies and activities as the basis for adaptation action. This aspect of visibility is particularly recognised within the EU Adaptation Strategy and is behind the European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate-ADAPT) that aims to support Europe in adapting to climate change by providing access to and sharing information and support tools. Specific reference to the existence or development of such platforms in responses within the self-assessment survey is made by:

Hungary

Within the development of the National Climate Change Strategy, it is reported that there is a need for an inter-sectoral platform to support the next phase in which concrete suggestions for implementing adaptation measures can be made. This expert exchange and negotiation platform – “Climate Dialogue Platform” – provides up-to-date information on policies, activities and research results and a place where researchers, governmental organizations, NGOs and stakeholders can discuss climate issues and objectives.

Estonia

Although indicating that they had not yet started the adaptation policy process, Estonia reported that the Estonian climate change adaptation information Web Portal will be ready by 2015 at the latest.

Ireland

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will continue to lead in the development of a web-based tool known as the “Climate Ireland”. The platform will include details of all EPA-funded research on adaptation and the associated findings. Other state bodies will also provide specifics of their adaptation research for publication on the platform.

Portugal

Portugal: The development of a national platform is foreseen within the national strategy. This platform is already under development as a project (to be completed in March 2016) that is developing for dissemination via the proposed platform: information on past trends and local level climate change using the latest IPCC climate change scenarios; and climate indicators for specific sectors.

See also Table 2.3

Adaptation platforms across Europe

The number and scope of web-based platforms in Europe providing information on adaptation is increasing. These go beyond those identified within the self-assessment survey and, in addition to national platforms, include transnational platforms and the European Climate Change Adaptation Platform. At the recent CIRCLE2/EEA Workshop on ‘Adaptation Platforms in Europe: Addressing challenges and sharing lessons’ (Vienna, November 2013), those managing or considering developing such platforms came together to share experiences, lessons learnt and challenges. The adaptation platforms available in Europe are presented in Table 2.3.

Table 2.3. Adaptation platforms across Europe

The role of scientific research as contributing to adaptation, including its public and policy awareness

13 of 27 countries identified scientific research as a trigger for adaptation (Figure 2.1). In addition, in the open-ended responses of the self-assessment survey related to planned next steps (question 42 on risk or vulnerability assessments), eleven of the 21 countries reported that risk or vulnerability assessments are either underway or planned; and six of the 21 countries reported that risk or vulnerability assessments were being conducted for specific sectors or specific sub-national regions or local authorities. Scientific research and these assessments can increase scientific visibility of the need for adaptation and, when and if made available, can increase public and political awareness of the need for adaptation as a response to climate change.

Austria

In 2014 at the latest, an Austria-related “Assessment Report” on the topic of climate change will be released by the Austrian Climate Research Network as a contribution to the discussion on impacts, mitigation and adaptation. In addition, the study ‘Current state of adaptation to climate change in Austria’ (Gingrich et al., 2008) commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, provided a first overview on research projects with a focus on climate change adaptation. The results of this study were converted into a databank (available at www.klimawandelanpassung.at/datenbank/ ) that is being continuously enhanced and updated. Furthermore, since most adaptation actions are to be implemented at provincial, regional and local levels, the research project FAMOUS will support the adaptation process by establishing tailor-made decision-support tools (published in Spring 2014) in close cooperation with key stakeholders and potential users.

Belgium

The evidence presented as a result of the research (modelling) on water courses in the Belspo-funded research CCI-Hydr was a trigger for initiating the adaptation process in Belgium. Earlier available information, such as that based on the report by J.-P. Van Ypersele, did not have a similar affect. The CCI-Hydr became available at the right time and was included within Belgium’s Fifth National Communication (2009) and in some regional reports

Italy

Both political and public visibility play a role in moving forward the adaptation agenda in Italy. In their response, Italy particularly indicated that willingness to develop adaptation policies in Italy is quite high and is increasing more and more. In recent years, Italian universities, national research centres, public and private institutions and foundations have intensified their efforts related to the issue of climate change adaptation with the intention to fill the communication and knowledge gaps between science and policy-making. For example, in elaborating the Italian national adaptation strategy the involvement of the national scientific community was identified as crucial. This included the establishment of a scientific panel of about 100 national scientists and sectoral experts from national scientific institutions and universities.

Throughout the consultation process and public participation that is part of the development of the national adaptation strategy, the inherent uncertainties have been considered. This included informing the main stakeholders on: (1) uncertainties about future projections concerning climate variability; 2) uncertainties related to the future socio-economic development and mitigation commitments and hence emission scenarios; and 3) uncertainties about the implementation of adaptation measures and policies and their impact on the climate change impacts projections. The ultimate purpose of providing this information is to raise the visibility of adaptation and of the need of more flexible approaches to deal with the challenges associated with adaptation.