The project is studying how climate is evolving in the Pyrenees cross-border region between France, Spain, and Andorra. By gathering and analysing data, the project is reducing the region’s vulnerability to the impact of climate change and helping residents and businesses adapt to its effects.
OPCC2 – Monitoring climate change in the Pyrenees to help the territory adapt
- 12 April 2019
OPCC2 is the best cooperation project I have ever been involved in. I like it because it blends territorial cooperation with a scientific approach towards a very important global issue that has significant local ramifications.
Climate change is creating new challenges all around the world, and causing specific and significant issues for the Pyrenean cross-border region between France, Spain, and Andorra. In fact, the region is already seeing the effects first-hand, including in a decrease in biodiversity, an increase in extreme weather events, the melting of glaciers, diminished snow coverage, and earlier harvesting times. These effects, which will only intensify in future, make it essential that people adapt their lifestyles and that industrial sectors change their management and production strategies to account for the new reality.
The EU-funded OPCC2 project is helping with this transition through education and by raising awareness. It has compiled all available information about the impact of climate change on the Pyrenees region and made it available to the general public on a multilingual, and easy-to-use digital platform.
The reference platform
The Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory (OPCC), managed by the Communauté de Travail des Pyrénées is the only platform dedicated to the study of climate change in the Pyrenees. It was created to observe and measure the impact of climate change on the region, identify natural risks, and help the public and private sector make better decisions. The OPCC2 project strengthens the OPCC’s work and makes the platform the reference for information on climate change in the Pyrenees.
One of the site’s most popular features is its geoportal, which includes important scientific data such as a catalogue of climate records for the past 60 years. There is a forecast of how climate change could change the region by 2100. To prepare for these potential changes, users can refer to the site’s database of best practices for climate adaptation in mountain regions.
In addition to the web platform, in 2018, the project published the comprehensive “Climate change, vulnerability and impacts assessment report”. The document had an immediate impact and continues to garner substantial media attention across the region. It is complemented by an executive abstract and a short explanatory video. All information is available in Spanish, French, Catalan and English.
The platform, the geoportal, and the assessment report are accessible online. They offer the latest, most relevant information about climate change in the Pyrenees. All three have benefited from publicity at a number of events that brought together affected parties from different territories and sectors.
Raising awareness
The OPCC2 succeeded in producing and disseminating ground-breaking data about the impact of climate change in the Pyrenean cross-border region. This information is playing a significant role in raising awareness on the topic amongst the region’s residents. Project coordinators estimate that the project will have reached over 5.4 million people by 2023.
The project is playing an important role with decision makers, who are using the data to guide policy decisions about preparing for, mitigating against and adapting to the effects of climate change.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “OPCC-2 + Development and implementation of the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory strategy” is EUR 1 173 919, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 763 047 through the “Interreg V-A - Spain-France-Andorra (POCTEFA)” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Energy union and climate”.