The EU strategy on adaptation to climate change DG Climate Action – Adaptation Unit

The EU Strategy in a Nutshell Action 6. Climate proofing the Common Agricultural Policy, Cohesion Policy, and the Common Fisheries Policy Action 7. Making infrastructure more resilient Action 8. Promote products & services by insurance and finance markets Priority 3: Key vulnerable sectors Action 4. Knowledge-gap strategy Action 5. Climate-ADAPT Priority 2: Better informed decision-making Action 1. Encourage MS to adopt Adaptation Strategies and action plans Action 2. LIFE funding, including adaptation priority areas Action 3. Promoting adaptation action by cities along the Covenant of Mayors initiative Priority 1: Promoting action by Member States

Priority 1: Promoting action by Member States Action 1. Encourage MS to adopt Adaptation Strategies and action plans As part of the Adaptation Strategy package the Commission has provided guidelines to help Member States formulate adaptation strategies. The Commission is developing an ‘adaptation preparedness scoreboard’, identifying key indicators for measuring Member States’ level of readiness. In 2017, the Commission will assess whether action being taken in the Member States is sufficient. MMR (reporting by March 2015) Scoreboard Relationship with MS: Climate Change Committee (WG6) & National Contact points Scoreboard: The EU Adaptation Strategy, adopted in April 2013, announces, that "by 2014 the Commission will develop an adaptation preparedness scoreboard, identifying key indicators for measuring Member States' level of readiness." - A first approach was presented to the Climate Change Committee in October 2013 and Member States had an opportunity to comment the note circulated at the time. Written comments were received from BE, AT, UK and CZ. - A revised approach was presented to the Working Group 6 on adaptation under the Climate Change Committee in March 2014. In addition to comments and suggestions made during the meeting, written contributions were received from AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, ES, FI, IE, NL, PT, SE and SI. - Based on the comments received, a third draft was presented in June. New comments received.

Priority 1: Promoting action by Member States Action 2. LIFE funding, including adaptation priority areas LIFE Regulation brought about a new LIFE sub-programme, LIFE Climate Action. Amount available (2014-2020) is 864 million euros. Yearly calls for proposals, launched together with DG ENV LIFE. LIFE will finance: Action grants (traditional LIFE projects); - Priority areas: floods, coastal, mountains, islands, urban, drought Operating grants to NGOs capacity building grants. Integrated projects 2) is to allow NGOs operate and participate as stakeholders and disseminators of EU policy 3) is for for MS who have not benefited proportionately from LIFE in the past compared to their indicative national allocation, provided they meet certain conditions specified in the LIFE Regulation (below the national indicative allocation for LIFE; certain GDP requirements – Max.100.000€ 4) : projects with a wide geographical reach, mobilising also other public funds, EU or national, around a common goal (for instance, implementation of an existing adaptation strategy)

Priority 1: Promoting action by Member States Action 3. Promoting adaptation action by cities along the Covenant of Mayors initiative Launched March 2014 - Support cities by: Creating an opportunity to visibly commit to taking adaptation action from the start Holding a high-level signatory ceremony to showcase cities’ commitment to the initiative Hosting a pan-European information event to network signatories Engaging cities on the issue of climate adaptation through local outreach events in Member States Setting up a help desk for questions, information and engagement with the initiative Developing content material (guidance, fact sheets, online-platform etc.) for cities to implement and communicate their commitment

Priority 2: Better informed decision-making Action 4. Knowledge-gap strategy Horizon 2020. Identify and prioritise knowledge gaps. The Commission is working to identify adaptation knowledge gaps and relevant tools and methodologies to address them. The findings will be fed into the programming of Horizon 2020. EU-wide vulnerability assessments, taking into account, inter alia, the cross-sectoral EU overview of natural and manmade risks published in April 2014. JRC: PESETA II study, Gap PESETA (coastal, spillover effects,…), future PESETA III. On the economic impacts of climate change, was published in April 2014. Climate extremes, etc.

Priority 2: Better informed decision-making Action 5. Climate-ADAPT Improving the platform: friendliness, access to information, tools. Medium term Work Plan (2013-2018) Regular Maintenance and updating. Quality Check. A Time series Tool (developed by DG JRC) to visualize observed and projected climate and other data will be implemented Dissemination and capacity building: Dissemination Contract (2013), Science/policy forums in countries without NAS (2014) Next: EU Adaptation Strategy section, Hosting the Urban adaptation initiative Regional information Interaction with other platforms etc Action 5. Climate-ADAPT: Develop interfaces with other databases and climate services Inclusion of Copernicus (Ex-GMES) climate services

Priority 3: Key vulnerable sectors Action 6. Climate proofing the Common Agricultural Policy, Cohesion Policy, and the Common Fisheries Policy

Priority 3: Key vulnerable sectors Action 7 – More resilient infrastructure June 2014 - a mandate for European standardisation organisations: Map standards in the area of energy, transport and buildings Identify standards that need to be revised to include adaptation considerations. The Adaptation Strategy package provides guidelines to help project developers working on infrastructure and physical assets to climate-proof vulnerable investments. EIA Directive (Adopted April 2014) Include adaptation considerations into the guidance documents for CBA (and multi-criteria analysis), for : cohesion major projects; TEN-E proj.;(Energy) TEN-T proj. (Transport) Communication on Green Infrastructure (May 2013), work on guidance to ensure mobilisation of ecosystem based approaches to adaptation. AA JRC - Resilience of large investments in Europe to climate change (2015)

Priority 3: Key vulnerable sectors Action 8. Promote products & services by insurance and finance markets Green paper on insurance of natural and man made disasters Following consultation (75 replies), a summary of topics published (end 2014) New Commission to take forward with topics Stakeholder dialogue with insurance and banking sector Workshops in 2013 with bith sectors – results to be published. Initial agreement with Insurance Europe to hold periodic meetings Insurers- governmental stakeholders-Commission

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