Budget : 329 500 EUR Project promotor: Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EERC)

1. Programme “INTEGRATED MARINE AND INLAND WATER MANAGEMENT” Predefined project:Development of Estonian climate change adaptation strategy and measures Ene Kriis Kristina Kaar

2. Budget: 329 500 EUR Project promotor: Estonian Environmental Research Centre (EERC) Project partners: - Estonian Environment Agency (KAUR), which incorporates the former Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute - Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB)

3. Background – need for the project (1) Changing climate in the world and Europe. The consequences of climate change are increasingly being felt in Europe and worldwide and the average temperature continues to rise. Extreme weather events in Europe have increased, with more frequent heat waves, forest fires and droughts in southern and central Europe. Heavier precipitation and flooding, especially in the winter season, is projected in northern and north-eastern Europe, with an increased risk of flooding.The vast majority of climate models predict that this trend will continue. Although in the northern Europe the impact of climate change will be smaller than in southern and central Europe and some impacts will even be positive, we have to know better what to expect in Estonia and how to prepare ourselves in time to the changing climate. In April 2013, the European Commission adopted the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, which sets out a framework for adapting to the impacts of climate change in the EU.  The preparedness of MS-s to cope with the changing climate will be evaluated by the European Commission in 2017 and the existence of an adaptation strategy will be an essential criterion in this evaluation.

4. Background – need for the project (2)Status in Europe: National climate change (CC) adaptation strategies in place 15 member states have already their CC strategies in place, while the others, including Estonia, have to catch up in the coming years.

5. Background – need for the project (3) In Estonia, the focus has so far been on climate change (CC) mitigation and crisis management. A considerable amount of information on possible effects of CC in Estonia already exists but the information is scattered and needs to be assembled, however, some areas need further analysis. Issues of adaptation to CC have been incorporated in some sectoral strategies and development plans: - Forest Development Plan until 2020; - National Health Plan 2009-2020; - Nature Conservation Development Plan up to 2020; - National Environmental Action Plan 2007-2013, etc There are water management plans, flooding maps, risk assessments, crisis management plans in place. CC ADAPTATION NEEDS TO BE TACKLED IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED MANNER – IN A STRATEGY It is also cheaper to take early, planned adaptation actions than to pay the price of not adapting.

6. Project purpose ...is to contribute to a more climate-resilient Estonia bydeveloping a strategy and measures for adapting to a changing climate. The project will eventually enhance the preparedness and capacity to respond to the impacts of climate changeat local, regional and national levels, developing a coherent approach and improving coordination and cooperation. It is also of particular importance to ensure joint approaches and full coherence between national adaptation strategy and national risk management plans.

7. Project activities (1) Aggregation of available scientific information about climate change and specification of topics for sector-specific assessments (Project promotor – EERC) 1. Health; 2. Energy supply and industry (e.g forest and food industry); 3. Agriculture, drainage systems and hydraulic structures; 4. Use of natural resources (e.g water, forestry, fisheries, hunting, peat production); 5. Biological diversity; 6. Spatial planning and land use (incl coastal areas and other areas prone to flooding or having problems); 7. Tourism; 8. Buildings and infrastructure (roads, ports, bridges, water supply and sewerage, telecommunication, etc); 9. Rescue preparedness and insurance Creation of Estonia specific climate change future scenarios and describing the past trends in climate change (Estonian Environment Agency – KAUR)

8. Project activities (2) Conduct of open calls for analysis of issues/sectors that need further analysis (procurement(s)); Sectoral analyses and proposition of Estonia specific climate change adaptation measures (procurements); Analysis of the cost of proposed adaptation measures (procurement); Conduct of strategic environmental impact assessment (procurement); Compilation of draft national climate change adaptation strategy document and preparation of action plan for the implementation of the strategy (EERC); Public awareness on climate change impacts (EERC).

9. Expected results The main result of the project is the draft national climate change adaptation strategy and action plan. Each previously mentioned project activity has its own result, which will contribute to achieving the main result.

10. Sustainability After the sectoral analysis are finalized and better knowledge is gained what the impacts of climate change will be for Estonia, the MoE will make a proposal to the Government to start the process of composing the national climate change adaptation strategy. The Government will then decide, what approach to use in Estonia. Whether the strategy will one comprehensive document or the topics will be split between different existing sectoral development plans or strategies.

11. Budget The total budget is 329 500 EUR: Project management costs (project manager, financial manager): 43 362 EUR; Staff costs (partners staff costs, EERC experts in compiling the strategy and action plan): 120 360 EUR; Indirect costs (communication and office costs): 12 918 EUR; Consumables and supplies (Laptop, MS Office Certificate): 1 200 EUR; Travelling: 12 000 EUR; Services (sectoral analysis and proposition of Estonia specific climate change adaptation measures, cost of proposed adaptation measures, strategic environmental impact assessment): 133 060 EUR; Publicity (climate change adaptation webpage and seminars): 6 600 EUR.

12. Publicity The project foresees the creation of climate change adaptation webpage that will be part of the MoE homepage and which is linked to relevant other homepages, e.g the European Commission Climate Adapt homepage. Two seminars are also scheduled.

13. Project partners and status of partnership agreements The project has 2 partners: The newly established Estonian Environment Agency (KAUR) - The main role of KAUR under the current project is to develop short-term and long-term climate scenarios for Estonia and to describe past trends. Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB) - Transfer of Norwegian know-how on climate change adaptation to Estonia and consultation; - Review of the analysis/projection on climate change scenarios compiled by Estonian experts; - Development of the strategy document and communication with stakeholders.

14. Thank you for attention!