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
2.4.1. Coordination of adaptation: what does this include?
Adaptation to climate change is a cross-cutting topic that concerns all sectors of society and requires action at multiple levels from national governments to local actors. Horizontal and vertical coordination will help to integrate adaptation into relevant policy areas. An important aim of coordination is to ensure that the different factors are recognised and taken into account across policies and scales of governance. Coordination is also expected to reduce the risk of maladaptation, which only shifts the burden of adaptation from one sector or actor to another, worsens future problems of adaptation or increases the challenges of mitigation (EEA, 2013). The need for horizontal and vertical coordination is explicitly stressed by the EU Adaptation Strategy (EC, 2013a).
Definition of key terms
Horizontal coordination mechanisms refer to institutions and processes in place to support integration of adaptation into sector policies. It entails that actors responsible for different policy areas within an administrative level (e.g. national) exchange information and adjust their activities so as to ensure that adaptation efforts result in coherent action responding to the unavoidable impacts of and, where possible, benefitting from climate change.
Vertical coordination mechanisms refer to institutions and processes in place to support integration of adaptation through multiple administrative levels within a country (i.e. national, provincial, regional, local/city level). This entails that information on and approaches to adaptation are transferred and exchanged effectively within each policy area from the national to the sub-national levels and vice versa.
For further definitions see the Glossary in Chapter 4.