Table of contents
- Acknowledgements
- Executive summary
- Objectives, intended users and context of this report
- Outline of this report
- Methodological approach
- Lessons learned from collaborating with member countries through the self-assessment survey
- 1. Rationale for public intervention on adaptation
- 2.1. Key Topic 1: Public and policy awareness of the need for adaptation
- 2.1.1. Awareness of the need for adaptation: what does this include?
- 2.1.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.1.3. Examples from countries
- 2.1.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.2. Key Topic 2: Knowledge generation and use
- 2.2.1. Knowledge generation and use: what does this include?
- 2.2.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.2.3. Examples from countries
- 2.2.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.3. Key Topic 3: Planning adaptation
- 2.3.1. Planning adaptation: what does this include?
- 2.3.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.3.3. Examples from countries
- 2.3.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.4. Key Topic 4: Coordination of adaptation
- 2.4.1. Coordination of adaptation: what does this include?
- 2.4.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.4.3. Examples from countries
- 2.4.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.5. Key Topic 5: Stakeholder involvement
- 2.5.1. Stakeholder involvement: what does this include?
- 2.5.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.5.3. Examples from countries
- 2.5.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.6. Key Topic 6: Implementation of adaptation
- 2.6.1. Implementation of adaptation: what does this include?
- 2.6.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.6.3. Examples from countries
- 2.6.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.7. Key Topic 7: Transnational cooperation
- 2.7.1. Transnational cooperation: what does this include?
- 2.7.2. Findings from self-assessment survey
- 2.7.3. Examples from countries
- 2.7.4. Discussion of findings
- 2.8. Key Topic 8: Monitoring, reporting and evaluation
- 2.8.1. Monitoring, reporting and evaluation (MRE): what does this include?
- 2.8.2. Findings from the self-assessment survey
- 2.8.3. Examples from countries
- 2.8.4. Discussion of findings
- 3. The evolving agenda for national adaptation in Europe
- 4. Glossary
- 5. Acronyms
- 6. References
2.3.1. Planning adaptation: what does this include?
In the context of this report, planning adaptation activities includes identifying, assessing and prioritising possible adaptation options (EC, 2013). Based on these three steps, different types of adaptation actions such as soft, green, grey and combined measures should be selected for implementation. As there will hardly ever be a clear optimum or one definitive solution, multiple types of adaptation actions are suggested to be selected for implementation (Swart et al. in Prutsch et al., 2014).
Thus, a wide portfolio of adaptation options needs be considered at the appropriate (temporal and spatial) scale in order to address possible climate change impacts. To identify a portfolio of suitable climate change adaptation measures, goals, ideas and visions need to be discussed, analysed and agreed. In addition, adaptation cannot be addressed in isolation as it takes place within a wider social, economic and environmental context which needs be taken into account properly.
Adaptation options reach from small changes to very substantial changes that have broad implications, but very often comprise a mix of different options. The challenging task in planning adaptation activities is to find ways to combine different measures in a meaningful way in order to avoid maladaptation and enhance win-win solutions with a maximum level of consensus among stakeholders. The most attractive adaptation measures are those that offer benefits in the relatively near term as well as reductions of vulnerabilities in the long term (IPCC, 2014).
Definitions of key terms
Planning in the context of this report comprises the following three steps:
i) identifying possible adaptation options: collecting and describing a wide spectrum of possible adaptation options, including soft, green, grey and combined measures.
ii) assessing adaptation options: appraising options regarding their effectiveness in addressing potential impacts from climate change, their implementation time frame, direct and indirect effects in environmental, social and economic terms as well as costs and benefits, and other criteria.
iii) prioritising adaptation options: on the basis of (i) and (ii), select preferred adaptation options to be further developed and implemented.
(based on EC, 2013).
For further definitions see the Glossary in Chapter 4.