The European Commission has today launched a portal to drive forward the EU’s Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change.  The Portal provides information about the Mission and latest developments regarding its delivery, including by regional and local authorities that are participating as Charter Signatories and by research projects.

The Mission Portal offers knowledge and tools for use by regional and local authorities. To help regional authorities develop, implement and monitor their climate change adaptation plans, the Portal also offers knowledge, data and tools tailored for use at regional scale.

Through the Regional Adaptation Support Tool (RAST) that will soon be available, authorities will be able to get practical information for each step of developing their climate change adaptation plans.

From deadly heatwaves and devastating droughts to wildfires and coastlines eroded by rising sea levels, climate change is already taking its toll in Europe. Its impact affects not only the environment and economy, but also the health of Europeans. The frequency and severity of climate and weather extremes is increasing, so we need to speed up solutions that build climate resilience.

In that context, the Adaptation Dashboard provides easy access to relevant data that can help to inform understanding of the specific climate vulnerabilities and risks that regional and local authorities need to address.

In addition, the Portal links to an online area for the EU Mission Adaptation Community of Practice, which is accessible to the Charter Signatories, Friends of the Mission and national authorities competent for climate adaptation. There, regional and local authorities can receive technical assistance with:

• progressing and funding their climate adaptation planning processes;
• identifying, and funding demonstration projects;
• mobilising and engaging citizens and stakeholders in climate adaptation. 

The online EU Mission Adaptation Community of Practice will also be made accessible to the Mission projects.

The Mission Portal is hosted by the European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate-ADAPT), and was developed by the European Commission, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Mission Implementation Platform (MIP4Adapt) team.

The Mission on Adaptation aims to support regions and communities in accelerating their transformation to climate resilience by 2030. It will help these regions and local authorities to better understand, prepare for and manage climate risks, as well as to develop innovative solutions to build resilience. 

The Mission funds projects with €370 million of Horizon Europe funding for the period 2021-23. The research and innovation projects will help understand how to better rebuild areas impacted by extreme weather events and create floodplains, as well as exploring climate-resilient farming methods and prototype insurance approaches or designing a ‘perfectly adapted' city ready to withstand floods or heatwaves.

The Mission builds joint initiatives with other EU Missions and programmes, and provides opportunities for networking, exchange of best practices between regions and local authorities, and support to engage citizens.

Source: European Commission