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Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE). Approaches and Mainstreaming of Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Europe.
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Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) Approaches and Mainstreaming of Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Europe International workshop “Mainstreaming an ecosystem based approach to climate change into biodiversity conservation planning in Vietnam” October 15-16, 2013
Agenda • Climate Change and EbA in Europe – Overview • Regional EbA initiative Danube River Basin • Legal framework for CC adaptation in the EU • Mainstreaming EbA on EU level (conservation planning) • Financing and capacity tools for EbA • EbA strategic planning on country level • Success factors and barriers to EbA mainstreaming and implementation in EU
Change in mean annual temperature [°C] by the end of this century Source: EU commission Green Paper 2007
Change in mean annual precipitation [%] by the end of this century Source: EU commission Green Paper 2007
CC Impacts Source: EEA 2013
EbA - Examples Source: EEA 2013
CC projections for Danube river basin: • Changes in the seasonal runoff pattern • Increase in intensity and frequency of heat waves → droughts, low flow situations and water scarcity • Increase of water temperature → increased pressures on water quality • Water dependent sectors (agriculture, forestry, navigation and water related energy production) highly vulnerable • Changes in ecosystems and biodiversity with shifts of the aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna
Lower Danube Green Corridor Adaptation for Nature Conservation
EU Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change “…to work towards a more climate-resilient Europe by enhancing the preparedness and capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change at local, regional, national and EU levels and developing a coherent approach and proper coordination.” • 2007 Green Paper • 2009 White paper • April 2013: EU Adaptation Strategy • Specific objectives • Encourage MS to adopt comprehensive adaptation strategies • Funding for capacity building and step-up adaptation action in Europe • Better informed decision-making: bridging the knowledge gap • EU information platform for adaptation ‘Climate-ADAPT’: to be further developed • ‘Climate-proofing’ EU action by mainstreaming of adaptation in EU policies and programmes in key vulnerable sectors
EbA in the EU Adaptation Strategy • EbA approaches considered • cost-effective under different scenarios • easily accessible • having multiple benefits • Envisaged for 2013: Mobilization of EbA approaches • Needs assessment for additional guidance for authorities and decision makers, civil society, private business and conservation practitioners
Mainstreaming EbA on EU level Recent and Forthcoming policy initiatives in Nature Conservation to consider adaptation/EbA: • EU Biodiversity Strategy up to 2020 recognizes cost-effectiveness and multiple benefits of EbA • EC proposal for Environment Action Programme to 2020 (2012): EbA approaches to be used more extensively • Others: Guidelines on adaptation for Natura 2000 network (2013), Invasive alien species (2013), Green Infrastructure (2013), Land as a resource (2014-15), new Forest Strategy (2013) • Tabled and focus for further mainstreaming: Integrating adaptation in water management, agriculture and forestry, maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management, energy, disaster risk reduction, transport, research, health, finance and insurance.
Capacity for EbA mainstreaming European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPThttp://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu (hosted by EEA) • Information on adaptation policy across Europe • Online library of adaptation case studies • Software tools • Adaptation decision support tools (e.g. CBA, CEA, Impact Assessments, etc.)
Financing for EbA mainstreaming • Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF): CC related expenditures to be increased to 20% of the budget for 2014-2020 • MFF proposes financial instruments: Structural Funds, Cohesion Fund and CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), INTERREG (the international cooperation programme), Life+ (EU’s funding instrument for the environment), Horizon 2020 (the future research policy) • EbA approaches are given priority in EU adaptation funding
Adaptation (EbA) planning on country level • 16 EU countries adopted NAS, 12 others in process • NAS are basis for (sector-based) action plans, vulnerability assessments, research programmes, funding opportunities and information services • Few countries developed new legislative documents for CC adaptation (e.g. UK has established a Climate Change Act in 2008) • Instead, changes to existing sectoral legislations by mainstreaming adaptation (water management, land use/ agriculture and ecosystems) • Germany developed climate change legislative ‘packages’ to be integrated into sector legislation (e.g. Regional Planning Law 2008, Urban Planning Law 2011 and Water Pollution Law 2009) • Many mainstreaming initiatives are EU initiated, e.g. by the Water Framework and the Floods Directive
Success factors for EbA at EU and national level • Mainstreaming EbA into sectoral policies ensures compatible goals for CC action • Flexibility in adaptation policies allows ‘adaptive management’ practices and pathways • Multi-level governance: Adaptation policy to be supported by all levels of governance • Landscape approach: Transboundary (multi-country) EbA initiatives successful and priority for funding • Further analytical work is needed for monitoring and evaluation, CBA for adaptation measures European Environment Agency (EEA) (2013):
Barriers to EbA at EU and national level • Structural and operational barriers: e.g. contradicting institutional incentive programmes, disputed responsibilities within different levels of governance • Regulatory and legislative barriers: Different regulations with partly conflicting objectives, e.g. biodiversity conservation vs. urban and regional planning • Cultural and behavioral barriers: Relationship of decision-makers in critical positions of government and implementing institutions • Contextual barriers: Environment and society, e.g. availability of land for EbA initiatives, public priorities • Capacity barriers: Technical, human and financial resources Ecologic Institute, Berlin (2011)
Thank you! More information: European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/adaptation/index_en.htm European Environment Agency http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate Ecologic Institute EU http://www.ecologic.eu/adaptation German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) http://www.bfn.de/0307_klima+M52087573ab0.html International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) http://www.icpdr.org/main/activities-projects/climate-adaptation