PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Spain is highly vulnerable to climate change. It was one of the first countries in Europe to address the challenge of climate change adaptation, approving a National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PNACC) in 2006.
PNACC has been developed to align itself closely with the main instruments and elements adopted at European level, in particular the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change. The key objectives of the EU Strategy, which was adopted by the European Commission in April 2013, are to promote action by Member States, better informed decision-making and adaptation in key vulnerable sectors.
The same year, the Spanish Office for Climate Change and Fundacin Biodiversidad, working in partnership with the units responsible for adaptation to climate change in the autonomous regions of Spain, established the AdapteCCa platform to support knowledge sharing, dissemination of information and networking between all individuals and organisations active in the field of climate change adaptation, at all levels.
Climate change adaptation is a very complex field, where the public and private dimensions converge. Hence, good governance is essential to making it work.
In July 2015, Portugal adopted its national strategy on adaptation to climate change, which provides for the establishment of a system for Iberian cooperation, particularly in terms of the resources and systems shared by the two countries.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the LIFE SHARA project was to strengthen climate change adaptation governance in Spain and Portugal, so as to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. This would be achieved through the following specific actions:
- Enhancing the capacity and functionality of the AdapteCCa platform, by improving the quality and quantity of the information it contains and encouraging greater use;
- Strengthening technical capacities for adaptation to climate change and raising awareness by organising training courses and dissemination activities on climate change adaptation outcomes. By implementing these actions, the relevance of the PNACC and the need for adaptation action wiould be widely disseminated throughout Spanish society.
- Special attention would be paid to training the trainers; and
- Enhancing coordination and cooperation among stakeholders through the reinforcement of links between the private sector and local, regional and national administrations in Spain, as well as with neighbouring Portugal. The project also aimed to reinforce synergies between the AdapteCCa platform and the EU Climate-ADAPT portal, in line with Action 5 of the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy;
- Assessing the influence of the PNACC in boosting Spains adaptive capacities and climate change resilience; and
- Contributing to the implementing of the EU Adaptation Strategy by supporting the development of vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans.
RESULTS
The LIFE SHARA project helped to improve governance in the area of climate change adaptation by reinforcing and promoting the Spanish platform AdapteCCa, which supports knowledge-sharing, dissemination of information and networking. It also fostered governance through training, information and awareness-raising campaigns, while strengthening cooperation between key actors and public administrations in Spain and Portugal.
Specifically, the project added new functions to the AdapteCCa platform such as a Climate Change Scenario Viewer, while improving the information available. The platform was moreover promoted at four online information days that were held under the project.
The project also strengthened the technical capacities of a range of relevant interest groups; it raised the issue of adaptation to climate change among journalists, university professors, local administrators and professionals through the organisation of seven informative breakfast meetings and six capacity-building courses. Furthermore, the project produced videos on 30 initiatives on adaptation to climate change and a travelling exhibition that by the end of the project had visited 41 locations.
Another key outcome of the project was the enhanced coordination among different stakeholders, especially the Spanish and Portuguese units working on adaptation. Increased cooperation was achieved through the holding of regular meetings, two cross-border seminars and the first Iberian Conference on Adaptation to Climate Change. Additionally, the Spanish platform AdapteCCa was connected to the European platform Climate-ADAPT, with a protocol for information sharing established.
Finally, the project carried out an evaluation of the impact of the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC 2006-2020). The lessons learnt were incorporated into the PNACC 2021-2030, which was approved in September 2020.
The continuation of the project actions is ensured since the actions foreseen in the After-LIFE plan have been included in the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (PNACC) Working Programme 2021-2025 that was approved on 1 March, 2022.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
