The scarcity of concrete regional adaptation strategies (RAS) across the EU suggests that guidelines for designing regional strategies can be helpful in assisting regions to prepare for the effects of climate change. This Policy Guidance is intended to assist regional authorities and other regional bodies formulating RAS. It draws on the experience of thirty-one regional adaptation strategies, a review of existing guidance documents, and on the results of a stakeholders’ workshop that conveyed regional authorities to discuss a draft of this guidance.

There is a consensus within the research community that it is extremely likely that human activities have exerted a substantial influence on climate. The effects of climate changes are irreversible and can endure the living conditions for humans, therefore many governments and international organisations have promoted the development of strategies to mitigate and to adapt regions to climate change.

This project explores ways to further support the elaboration of regional adaptation strategies at EU level. The project partners screened available reports of regional adaptation strategies, developed guidelines and search for good practices that support the further development of regional adaptation strategies. The guidelines, in this report, identify key issues, propose a process for the elaboration of adaptation strategies, identify three cross-cutting themes and explore tools and processes available at EU level which support regional adaptation to climate change.

The key stages for the elaboration of RAS are: a) prepare the ground, b) assess vulnerability of the region, c) set strategic direction, d) plan and implement concrete adaptation measures. In addition, the methodology is based on three cross-cutting themes: gather information, stakeholders engagement and a cyclical process of monitoring, evaluation and review.

The final report [pdf, 1.6 MB, English] is available for download.