Last week, the 3rd Forum of the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change brought together leading organizations and stakeholders to exchange views, identify successes and challenges, and shape the future direction of the Mission. The event, co-organized by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, showcased regional initiatives on adaptation and promoted dialogue among the community of participants.
Among the attendees were prominent climate action projects and organizations, including REGILIENCE, ARSINOE, IMPETUS, TransformAr, Pathways2Resilience, and REACHOUT. Over the two days of meaningful discussions, various stakeholders shared insights and formulated key takeaways for effective climate adaptation strategies.
Key takeaways from the 3rd Forum:
- Collaboration and Cooperation are Fundamental: The forum emphasized the necessity of collaborative efforts and cooperation across different sectors and regions to effectively address climate change (discover the regions that the 4 Mission on Adaptation Projects, REGILIENCE, ARSINOE, IMPETUS and TransformAr are covering together).
- Adaptation as a Top Priority: It was highlighted that adaptation is not an option but a critical priority. Immediate action is required to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
- Learning from Best Practices: Participants underscored the importance of learning from regional best practices to avoid repeating mistakes and prevent maladaptation measures (test the REGILIENCE Self-Assessment Maladaptation tool).
- Investing in Prevention: The consensus was that investing in preventive measures is far more effective and economical than engaging in reconstruction efforts post-disaster.
- Need for Financing and Funding: There is an urgent need for adequate financing and funding to implement concrete and effective adaptation solutions (check the new MIP4Adapt financing and funding tool highly supported by the REGILIENCE team).
- Multilevel Governance: Effective adaptation requires multilevel governance structures that include robust stakeholder and citizen engagement (register to the EURESFO, co-organized by REGILIENCE and learn more about multi-level governance).
- Connection Between Adaptation and Mitigation: The forum recognized the close interconnection between adaptation and mitigation, stressing that both need to be addressed simultaneously.
Wopke Hoekstra, the Commissioner for Climate Action, delivered a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of continued efforts in building climate adaptation to ensure a just transition. “Each step, no matter how small, brings us closer to sustainable resilience and a climate-adapted future,” he stated.
The forum concluded with a shared sense of commitment and urgency to advance climate adaptation measures, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future for all.
