Adaptation to Climate Change

Local and Regional Authorities and Ecosystem

Based AdaptationKoen Delanghe

European CommissionClimate Action – Adaptation to Climate

Change

• Adaptation to climate change• Ecosystems role in

adaptation to climate change• Local/Regional authorities and

strategies for adaptation to climate change

• EU and adaptation to climate change(Clearing House Mechanism)

Content

Adaptation to Climate Change

• Impacts of climate change are being felt and unavoidable

• Adaptation = to reduce vulnerability thus decreasing economic and social cost of climate change

• Sectors concerned: e.g. Water management; Agriculture and forests; Biodiversity/nature protection; Coastal areas; Marine and fisheries; Health; Infrastructure (transport, energy, built environment); Insurance; Disaster risk reduction.

Ecosystems role in adaptation to climate change

Figures :

One healthy tree consumes 26lbs of carbon dioxide each year. About the same amount spewed by one car every 11,000 miles

A healthy 2,500 square foot lawn provides enough oxygen for a family of 4

An average front lawn has the cooling effect of 10 tons of air conditioning, while absorbing pollution

Climate change

Ecosystem

Adaptation : carbon

sequestration, cooling effect, floods storage

…

Impacts/risks : floods, drought, water scarcity,

changes of species

composition…

Ecosystems role in adaptation to climate

change

Commissioner Hedegaard:  ”We need both green technology and natural solutions” 

Resilience to extreme

weather events,

pests, IAS

Climate regulation

Water retention

Buffer to sea-level

rises

Coolingpower

Ecosystems

Role of Local and Regional

authorities

• Regional and local authorities' role:– CC impacts felt and to be dealt with at local

level – Relevant competencies of regional/local

authorities– Coordination between sectors– Awareness raising

• Adaptation to climate change requires:– multi-level governance– public and private sector involvement

Regional Climate Change Adaptation

Strategies • Guidelines on Regional Climate Change

Adaptation Strategies (Commission 2009)

EU and adaptation to climate change

- 2009 European Commission White Paper: Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action

- Two main outcomes:- EU Clearing House Mechanism (March 2012)- Develop a comprehensive EU Adaptation

Strategy (2013)1. Improving and widening the knowledge base 2. Mainstreaming of adaptation into policies, strategies

and programmes at EU level3. Exchange between Member States, regions, cities

and all other relevant stakeholders4. Capturing the potential of market-based instruments

and the private sector

Development of the EU Clearing house

mechanism

Development of the EU Clearing house

mechanism