Demonstrating transformative solutions to increase cross-border climate resilience

Opis naboru

In support to the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and contributing to the upcoming European Climate Action Plan, project results are expected to improve adaptative capacities of European internal border regional and local authorities, allowing them to jointly address with their neighbours the pressing climate risks.Projects results should contribute to all of the following outcomes:Climate resilience solutions for cross-border risks have been developed and demonstrated. This includes social, governance or nature-based solutions.Regional and local authorities from each side of country borders are better prepared to withstand jointly the impacts of climate change, including systemic risks and cascading effects.National, regional and local authorities are taking on shared responsibilities and are actively involved in the development and testing of innovative solutions to deal with cross-border climate risks. Rationale Cross-border risks[1] and cooperation are crucial in the European Union, where 37.5% of the EU population lives in border areas, spanning 38 intra-EU borders that often involve both administrative and linguistic divides[2]. While adaptation plans are usually prepared within a single territory (e.g. at national, regional or local levels), climate risks do not stop at the borders. For instance, around 70% of Europe's freshwater bodies are part of international river basins, making flooding and droughts typical cross-border risks. Similarly, wildfires pose a significant cross-border threat, as they can spread rapidly across national borders, affecting multiple countries simultaneously. The same applies to cross-border coastal areas affected by sea level rise and coastal erosion.At the regional and local level, the implementation of adaptation tends to be fragmented between different bodies such as managers of forests, water, protected areas or coastlines. To be truly resilient, European regional and local authorities therefore need to integrate their action with their neighbours and consider seriously the cross-border dimension of climate risks.Solutions soughtProposals should develop, test and demonstrate approaches and innovative solutions relevant for cross-border risks, leading to an increase of climate resilience in cross-border regions.Moreover, particular attention should be given to coordination between the national and regional governance aspects of the bordering regions. Services to better predict, monitor and report on cross-border climate events should be explored as a first step.The proposals should address all of the following aspects:Address at least one relevant cross-border climate risk (e.g. water scarcity, flooding, storms, wildfires, sea level rise) but are strongly encouraged to address risks systemically and to cover cascading and compound risks as well as risks emerging from the degradation of ecosystem services;Develop, and demonstrate a common classification of the climate risks and define what level of risks are acceptable across the national border.Develop and demonstrate innovative integrated solutions to make both sides of the border climate resilient. Those solutions should cover cross-border governance and/or socio-economic aspects (but are not limited to that). Nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation should be explored as a priority, in line with the Mission Implementation Plan.For the successful implementation of the solutions and to ensure their sustainability beyond the duration of the project, the development and testing of the proposed solutions should be embedded, as much as possible in the adaptation planning of the regional or local authority participating in the project and/or in national plans. This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.Demonstration sites and related activitiesThe Mission encourages collaborations between regional and local authorities facing similar challenges and considers this to be a very efficient approach to secure a large impact. Therefore, the demonstration activities of the proposals:Must take place in at least two distinct cross-border demonstration sites located in EU Member States or Associated Countries. The demonstration areas must span adjacent regions on both sides of a national border, fostering cross-border collaboration. Regional or local authorities in these areas should actively participate in the project, ideally as beneficiaries or associated partners within the consortium.Should identify at least 1 “replicating” cross-border site spanning adjacent regions on either side of a national border, located in Member States or Associated Countries, interested in reapplying the lessons learnt (totally, partially or with the required adjustments) in their territories. For the replication, the consortium could include one or more partners that would provide support for the technical exchanges and the knowledge uptake in the “replicating” regions or local authorities. Replicating regions are not necessarily expected to carry out on the ground activities already in the course of the project. However, replicating regions should at least p