The BaltClim project supports the formulation of national adaptation strategies for climate change in the Baltic States. At a working meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, on 29 and 30 May 2012, Dr. Grit Martinez of Ecologic Institute was part of a German group of experts that shared their experiences in formulating and implementing adaptation strategies with representatives from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Her presentation focused on insights from the RADOST (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast) project with regard to stakeholder consultation and participation. The presentations of the German group of experts are available for download.

During the meeting, representatives from the ministries of environment and scientists from the three Baltic States discussed approaches for drafting national adaptation strategies with ministerial staff, consultants, scientists, and other experts from Finland and Germany. Important discussion topics included the need for regional scientific data, the identification of affected sectors, and the execution of risk and vulnerability assessments in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Furthermore, it was acknowledged that a growing number of engaged communities of stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region are working to collect information, build capacity, and take action to adapt to climate change. Particularly at the regional and local levels in the three Baltic States, resource managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders must come together through collaborations and partnerships to assess current and future vulnerabilities to climate change and to jointly develop implementation projects.

Dr. Grit Martinez, project leader of the RADOST project coordinated by Ecologic Institute, held a presentation that focused on good regional and local adaptation practices in the Baltic Sea Region and underlined the importance of acknowledging regional socio-cultural, political, and economic prerequisites for achieving stakeholder involvement.

Recommendations given from the German expert group included, inter alia, to

• seek close cooperation with providers of climate data in the Baltic Sea Region;
• carefully examine the available climate data and draw mature conclusions at the country specific level in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia;
• transparently involve all relevant stakeholders to achieve lasting commitments to and ownership of adaptation strategies and measures;
• facilitate additional expert meetings with ministerial representatives from the three Baltic States to foster better understanding of procedures for the formulation of national adaptation strategies and exchange with regional stakeholders on good practice projects.

The event was organized and chaired by the Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF), which coordinates and facilitates the BaltClim project in cooperation with the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW). BaltClim is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and the German Federal Environment Agency.

Presentations from the German expert group are available for download:

• Dr. Grit Martinez, Ecologic Institute: Engaging "the stakeholder" in formulating national adaptation strategies in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) [pdf, 1.5 MB, English]
• Dr. Jesko Hirschfeld, Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW): Stakeholder involvement – Approaches and practical examples from Germany [pdf, 1.6 MB, English]
• Dr. Dennis Bray, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht: Communication about climate change on the German Baltic coast: Experience and mediated experience [pdf, 3.2 MB, English]
• Peter Wibbeling, HafenCity University Hamburg: The Scenario-Planning-Process with the peri-urban region of Rostock [pdf, 1.5 MB, English]
• Dr. Heike Huebener, Hessian Agency for Environment and Geology – Hessian Centre on Climate Change: Developing an adaptation strategy in the federal state of Hessen, Germany [pdf, 298 kB, English]