Adaptation

Adaptation

Climate change and its expected impacts present one of the greatest challenges of our century, necessitating a host of adaptation solutions and cross-sectoral collaboration. Governing climate change is thus a complex process encompassing different contexts and factors relating to space and time.

Ecologic Institute's research focuses on a transdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach to analyzing adaptation policies, programs, and strategies in policy areas such as water management, coastal protection, agriculture, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions. A key area of the Institute's research is performing economic assessments of climate impacts and adaptation activities at different political levels (global, EU, national, local). In addition, we develop monitoring concepts and indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation activities. Ecologic Institute also develops scientific methods and tools to support the co-design of user-friendly and target-group-oriented climate services and to foster successful innovative climate adaptation within Europe. In addition, Ecologic Institute works closely with local public and private stakeholders to strengthen climate resilience within cities and municipalities.

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Related Topics

Water

International Development

Digitalization

Governance

Adaptation

Cities

Benedict Bueb
Coordinator Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Researcher

Climate

Adaptation

Cities

International Development

Biodiversity

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Natalia Burgos Cuevas
Researcher
Coordinator International Development

Cities

Biodiversity

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

International Development

Adaptation

Land Use

Evaluation

Health

McKenna Davis
Senior Fellow

International Development

Coastal + Marine

Nature-based Solutions and Green Infrastructure

Adaptation

Evaluation

Katriona McGlade
Fellow

Water

Adaptation

Evaluation

Digitalization

Education

Plastics

Indicators

Governance

Dr. Ulf Stein
Coordinator Water Studies
Senior Fellow

Coastal + Marine

Culture + Ecology

Adaptation

Dr. Nico Stelljes
Coordinator Coastal and Marine Studies
Fellow

Water

Adaptation

Evaluation

Economics

Bioeconomy

Indicators

Health

Governance

Jenny Tröltzsch
Coordinator Adaptation
Senior Fellow
Selected Projects for Adaptation
ProjectInnovation in Climate Services Provision (INNOVA)
 
| Fotolia © Victoria
The research project INNOVA will consolidate key factors from adaptive management strategies from leading earlier and on-going European initiatives in Spain (Valencia), Germany (Bay of Kiel) and the Netherlands (Nijmegen) and France’ overseas territories in Guadeloupe... Read more

Innovation in Climate Services Provision (INNOVA)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectHorizon 2020CO-designing the Assessment of Climate Change Costs (COACCH)
 
| Goran.Smith2 | www.wikimedia.org | Anti-flooding barrier at the banks of Danube river, Novi Sad, Serbia
The COACCH project (CO-designing the Assessment of Climate CHange costs) is an EU funded Horizon 2020 project assessing the economic costs of climate change and climate actions. The project is coordinated by the Euro Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change (CMCC)... Read more

CO-designing the Assessment of Climate Change Costs (COACCH)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectHorizon 2020Bridging the Gap for Innovations in Disaster Resilience (BRIGAID)
 
BRIGAID: Testen, Business Development und Marketing
Climate adaptation innovations could significantly reduce Europe's exposure to climate hazards such as droughts, floods, and extreme weather. However, many innovations fail to reach the market because innovators lack the funds and ability to turn their prototypes into... Read more

Bridging the Gap for Innovations in Disaster Resilience (BRIGAID)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectCommunication on the IPCC Special Reports "Climate Change and Land" and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate"
 
| ©tai111|Fotolia.com
The aim of the project participants is to provide the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) with scientific support in communicating the results of the IPCC Special Reports on "Climate Change and Land" (SRCCL) and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate" ... Read more

Communication on the IPCC Special Reports "Climate Change and Land" and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate"

Duration
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Funding
ProjectHorizon 2020Co-designing Locally-tailored Ecological Solutions for Value-added, Socially Inclusive Regeneration in Cities (CLEVER Cities)
 
With three quarters of the European Union's population living in cities and further increases expected, societies are increasingly facing socio-political shifts and marginalization. Limited availability of physical space, changing urban demographics, and increasing... Read more

Co-designing Locally-tailored Ecological Solutions for Value-added, Socially Inclusive Regeneration in Cities (CLEVER Cities)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectEnabling Green and Blue Infrastructure Potential in Complex Social-ecological Regions (ENABLE)
 
Green and Blue infrastructure (GBI) in cities holds large potential to effectively address emerging global challenges, such as climate change impacts, increasing urbanisation and declining access to nature, as it can deliver multiple societal, ecological and economic... Read more

Enabling Green and Blue Infrastructure Potential in Complex Social-ecological Regions (ENABLE)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectFP 7Making Society an Active Participant in Water Adaptation to Global Change (BeWater)
 
Sustainable water management under climate change is an urgent challenge for the Euro-Mediterranean region. The BeWater FP7 project supports a transition to stakeholder-driven river basin water management planning in this region by working together with local partners... Read more

Making Society an Active Participant in Water Adaptation to Global Change (BeWater)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectEcosystem Services Assessment for Local Climate Adaptation Measures in the Caribbean
 
Workshop zu Ökosystemleistungen von Küsten in St. Lucia.
The BMZ/KFW funded project 'Coastal Protection for Climate Change Adaptation in the Small Island States in the Caribbean' aims to improve coastal ecosystem services to reduce the impacts of climate change in Jamaica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the... Read more

Ecosystem Services Assessment for Local Climate Adaptation Measures in the Caribbean

Duration
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Funding
ProjectFP 7Resilience-Increasing Strategies for Coasts – toolKIT (RISC-KIT)
 
Climate change is leading to increased vulnerability of coastal areas as coastal storms, sea level rise and flooding cause significant impacts across Europe. Resilience-Increasing Strategies for Coasts – toolKIT (RISC-KIT) is a four-year European research project aimed... Read more

Resilience-Increasing Strategies for Coasts – toolKIT (RISC-KIT)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectKLIMZUGRegional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST)
 
The Ecologic Institute coordinated the five-year project RADOST (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast). The Baltic coastline of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein is one of seven model regions in Germany that were supported by... Read more

Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectFP 7Economics of Climate Change Adaptation in Europe (ECONADAPT)
 
| Fotolia © focus finder
The ECONADAPT project, on the Economics of Adaptation, was a research project funded by the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Recognizing that there is an economic rationale for climate change adaptation, the ECONADAPT project set out to advance the... Read more

Economics of Climate Change Adaptation in Europe (ECONADAPT)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectPolicy Mix for an updated Adaptation Action Plan
 
Änderung der Jahresmitteltemperatur [°C] in Deutschland (Quelle: DAS)
The Adaptation Action Plan constitutes the central reference document for measures targeting adaptation to climate change in Germany. In connection with the 2015 update of this action plan, Ecologic Institute and INFRAS provided technical support to the German Federal... Read more

Policy Mix for an updated Adaptation Action Plan

Duration
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Funding
ProjectIntegrated Water Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation
 
| Fotolia © c_irochka
Countries such as Bangladesh face fundamental threats on their water resources from climate change. Significant demand exists for knowledge how to enhance institutional capacity and effectiveness of water management policies. This project objective is to investigate how... Read more

Integrated Water Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation

Duration
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Funding
ProjectBenefit of Governance in Drought Adaption (DROP)
 
| © David Hands
Water scarcity and droughts are on the increase and expected to aggravate further due to climate change. Early actions are required to adapt to these changes. The transnational project 'Benefit of governance in DROught adaPtation (DROP)' aimed to enhance... Read more

Benefit of Governance in Drought Adaption (DROP)

Duration
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Funding
All projects on Adaptation
Selected Publications for Adaptation

Adaptation and nature-based solutions

PublicationDocumentNature-based Solutions in European and National Policy Frameworks
 
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being adopted as an effective tool to address urban challenges, as they provide a range of ecological, social and economic benefits. But, to what extent do current policy frameworks support or hinder their implementation?... Read more

Davis, M.; Abhold, K.; Mederake, L.; Knoblauch, D. (2018): Nature-based solutions in European and national policy frameworks. Deliverable 1.5, NATURVATION. Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No 730243, European Commission, 50 pp.

PublicationWeb ApplicationUrban Nature Atlas – NATURVATION
 
Urban Nature Atlas
So far, the Urban Nature Atlas has collected evidence on 1000 nature-based solutions (NBS) interventions. With that, it provides the most comprehensive basis for the analysis of socio-economic and innovation patterns associated with urban NBS in Europe. Ecologic... Read more

Ecologic Institute 2018: Urban Nature Atlas – NATURVATION. URL: https://naturvation.eu/atlas

PublicationReportMulti-level Policy Framework for Sustainable Urban Development and Nature-based Solutions – Status quo, gaps and opportunities
 
In this report, Doris Knoblauch, Sandra Naumann, Linda Mederake and Ariel Carlos Araujo Sosa (all Ecologic Institute) explore the extent to which current policy frameworks support sustainable urban development and nature-based solutions (NBS). To this end, policies... Read more

Knoblauch et al. (2019). Multi-level policy framework for sustainable urban development and nature-based solutions -- Status quo, gaps and oppor-tunities. Deliverable 1.2, CLEVER Cities, H2020 grant no. 776604.

PublicationBookAddressing Climate Change in Cities – Catalogue of urban nature-based solutions
 
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are solutions that are inspired and supported by nature. They can be used in urban settings to complement or replace "traditional" or "grey" solutions to perform functions, such as thermal insulation and stormwater retention and filtration.... Read more

English version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Addressing Climate Change in Cities. Catalogue of Urban Nature-Based Solutions. Ecologic Institute, the Sendzimir Foundation: Berlin, Krakow.

Polish version: Iwaszuk, E., Rudik, G., Duin, L., Mederake, L., Davis, M., Naumann, S., Wagner, I., 2019: Błękitno-zielona
infrastruktura dla łagodzenia zmian klimatu w miastach. Katalog techniczny. Ecologic Institute, Fundacja Sendzimira: Berlin, Krakow.

PublicationArticleNature-based Solutions to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Urban Areas
 
| Fotolia © Hubert Körner
Nature-based solutions promoting green and blue urban areas have significant potential to decrease the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of cities in light of climatic change. They can thereby help to mitigate climate change-induced impacts and serve as proactive... Read more

Kabisch, N., N. Frantzeskaki, S. Pauleit, S. Naumann, M. Davis, M. Artmann, D. Haase, S. Knapp, H. Korn, J. Stadler, K. Zaunberger, and A. Bonn. 2016. Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas: perspectives on indicators, knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action. Ecology and Society 21(2):39.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08373-210239

PublicationBook SectionMaking the Case for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems as a Nature-based Solution to Urban Flooding
 
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) as a promising nature-based solution are the focus of the new chapter, written by Ecologic Institute's McKenna Davis and Sandra Naumann. The authors utilize a range of case studies and evidence from across Europe to underline... Read more

McKenna Davis and Sandra Naumann 2017: Making the Case for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems as a Nature-Based Solution to Urban Flooding in: Nadja Kabisch, Horst Korn, Jutta Stadler, Aletta Bonn (eds.): Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Areas. Linkages between Science, Policy and Practice.

Adaptation and water management

PublicationBook SectionEuropean Actors and Institutions Involved in Water Scarcity and Drought Policy
 
The book "Facing hydrometeorological extremes: a governance issue" collects field investigation from several EU research projects on hydrometeorological extreme events and the successful examples of multilevel governance in response to them. Scientists from... Read more

Stein, Ulf and Ruta Landgrebe 2019: European Actors and Institutions Involved in Water Scarcity and Drought Policy. In: La Jeunesse, Isabelle and Corinne Larrue (eds.): Facing Hydrometeorological Extreme Events: A Governance Issue. John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, New Jersey. 157-170pp.

PublicationReportInvesting in Nature for European Water Security
 
Water security is at the heart of healthy and prosperous societies. European countries' prosperity depends on their ability to maintain the gains they have achieved in water security and address new and rising challenges. Nature Based Solutions can be deployed to... Read more

Trémolet S. et al. (2019). Investing in Nature for Europe Water Security. The Nature Conservancy, Ecologic Institute and ICLEI. London, United Kingdom.

PublicationBookDeveloping Participatory Adaptation Plans for River Basins
 
This handbook by Ecologic Institute is intended to provide the reader with the necessary information how to guide the participatory development of a River Basin Adaptation Plan. The handbook begins with more general contextual information about the BeWater project... Read more

Stein, U.; Davis, M.; Tröltzsch, J.; Sánchez, A.; Verkerk, H.; Libbrecht, S.; Broekman, A.; Magjar, M.; Giannakis, E.; Jebari, S.; Tarpey, J.; Lukat, E.; Bruggeman, A.; Zoumides, C.; Suhadolnik, P.; Vidaurre, R.; Rouillard, J. (2016). Handbook for drafting participatory adaptation plans. Deliverable D4.4, BeWater, FP7 project no. 612385 -SIS.2013.1.2-1 European Commission, 48 pp.

Economic assessment of climate impacts and adaptation

PublicationPolicy BriefThe Economic Cost of Climate Change in Europe
 
This policy brief synthesises the latest results from the COACCH project on the economic costs of climate change in Europe and identifies areas of possible discussion to explore with stakeholders at the second COACCH workshop. The policy brief is available for download.... Read more

COACCH (2019). The Economic Cost of Climate Change in Europe: Synthesis Report on Interim Results. Policy brief by the COACCH project. Editors: Paul Watkiss, Jenny Troeltzsch, Katriona McGlade, Michelle Watkiss. Published October, 2019.

PublicationBook SectionOverview of Costs and Benefits of Adaptation at the National and Regional Scale
 
The published OECD-report "Climate Change Risks and Adaptation: Linking Policy and Economics" sets out how the latest economic evidence and tools can enable better policy making for adaptation. Scientists from Ecologic Institute con-tributed to the chapter on the costs... Read more

Watkiss, P.; Hunt, A.; Rouillard, J.; Tröltzsch, J.; Lago, M. 2015: Overview of costs and benefits of adaptation at the national and regional scale. In: OECD (2015), Climate Change Risks and Adaptation: Linking Policy and Economic, OECD Publishing, Paris.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264234611-en, pp. 37-75.

PublicationReportThe Economics of Climate Change Adaptation
 
Tröltzsch, J., Rouillard, J., Tarpey, J., Lago, M., Watkiss, P., Hunt, A. (2016). The economics of climate change adaptation: Insights into economic assessment methods. ECONADAPT Deliverable 10.2 ... Read more

Tröltzsch, J., Rouillard, J., Tarpey, J., Lago, M., Watkiss, P., Hunt, A. (2016). The economics of climate change adaptation: Insights into economic assessment methods. ECONADAPT Deliverable 10.2

PublicationReportThe Economic Analysis of Climate Adaptation
 
Rouillard, J., Tröltzsch, J., Tarpey, J., Lago, M., Watkiss, P., Hunt, A. Bosello, F., Ermolieva, T., Goodess, C., Mechler, R., Parrado, R., Sainz de Murieta, E., Scussolini, P. (2016). The economic analysis of climate adaptation: Insights for policy-makers. ECONADAPT... Read more

Rouillard, J., Tröltzsch, J., Tarpey, J., Lago, M., Watkiss, P., Hunt, A. Bosello, F., Ermolieva, T., Goodess, C., Mechler, R., Parrado, R., Sainz de Murieta, E., Scussolini, P. (2016). The economic analysis of climate adaptation: Insights for policy-makers. ECONADAPT deliverable 10.3

Coastal adaptation

PublicationBookSocial Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Regions
 
A changing climate is not only a phenomenon addressing the natural world. Social aspects are also a cause of and are affected by climate change, for which reason social dynamics must be considered in climate change adaptation. Being key factors in creating and solving... Read more

Martinez, Grit; Peter Fröhle and Hans-Joachim Meier (eds.) 2014: Social Dimension of Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Regions. Findings from Transdisciplinary Research. [Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten 5]. Munich: oekom Verlag.

PublicationBook SectionRegional Perspectives Concerning Climate Change and Coastal Adaptation
 
The German Bundesländer Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern both lie on the Baltic Sea coast. However, they have a different history, as the former was part of the Federal Republic of Germany, while the latter belonged to the German Democratic Republic. This... Read more

Knoblauch, Doris and Stelljes, Nico 2014: "Regional perspectives concerning climate change and coastal adaptation. A comparison between Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein", in: Grit Martinez; Hans-Joachim Meier and Peter Fröhle (eds.): Social Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Regions – Findings from Transdisciplinary Research. Munich: oekom verlag, 45-60.

PublicationReportIntroduction to the RISC-KIT Web Based Management Guide for DRR in European Coastal Zones
 
This paper presents a new approach to guiding coastal stakeholders about making informed decisions about Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures and alternatives. As part of the RISC-KIT project and tool box, the paper presents a holistic DRR measure approach including... Read more

Stelljes, N.; Martinez G.; McGlade, K. (2017). Introduction to the RISC-KIT Web Based Management Guide for DRR in European Coastal Zones. RISC-KIT Project.

PublicationBook SectionUsing Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City
 
Stelljes, Nico: Using Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City. Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. in: Ng, K., Campos, I., Penha-Lopes, G. (Eds.). (2016). BASE adaptation inspiration book: 23 European cases... Read more

Stelljes, Nico: Using Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City. Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. in: Ng, K., Campos, I., & Penha-Lopes, G. (Eds.). (2016). BASE adaptation inspiration book: 23 European cases of climate change adaptation to inspire European decision-makers, practitioners and citizens. Lisbon: Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 122-125.

PublicationBook SectionCultural Dynamics of Adaptation to Climate Change
 
It is widely recognized that national or regional efforts to restrict the damage of climate change are insufficient and hence that environmental and climate protection needs a global concept. Paradoxically, the way environmental and climate change is perceived and... Read more

Grit Martinez and Michael J. Paolisso 2015: "Cultural Dynamics of Adaptation to Climate Change: An Example from the East Coast of the US", in: Bernd Sommer (ed.): Cultural Dynamics of Climate Change and the Environment in Northern America. [Climate and Culture 3]. Leiden: Brill, 304-332.

All publications on Adaptation
Selected Events for Adaptation

Presenting IPCC results

EventDigital EventPolicy-relevant Findings from the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL)
 
The IPCC published a special report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) in August 2019. The report shows that climate change is increasing pressure on land systems. At the same time, however, land systems also play an important role in climate protection, for example... Read more

Digital Event:Policy-relevant Findings from the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL)

Date
Location
online, Germany
EventDigital EventPolicy-relevant Findings from the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC)
 
On 25 October 2019 the Ecologic Institute supported the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) in a webinar on the IPCC Special Report on "The ocean and the cryosphere in a changing climate" (SROCC). The Ecologic Institute, together with the project Partner Climate Analytics,... Read more

Digital Event:Policy-relevant Findings from the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC)

Date
Location
online, Germany

Economic assessment of climate impacts and adaptation

Participatory adaptive river basin management

EventWorkshopEngaging Citizens in Adaptive River Basin Management in the Mediterranean
 
Pedieos Workshop
Climate change and other pressures are impacting the environment and water resources in the Mediterranean, requiring plans for how to adapt the management of affected river basins and their water resources to changing future conditions. To address this challenge, a... Read more

Workshop:Engaging Citizens in Adaptive River Basin Management in the Mediterranean

Date
Location
Rmel (Tunisia), Tordera (Spain), Pedieos (Cyprus) and Vipava (Slovenia) river basins

Conferences and launch events

EventConferenceEU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change - Launch Event and Livestreaming
 
The European Commission has recently adopted an EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change. This strategy will be launched at a high-level conference taking place on 29 April 2013 in Brussels. Those who cannot attend the conference can follow the livestream of the... Read more

Conference:EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change - Launch Event and Livestreaming

Date
Location
Brussels, Belgium
EventDiscussionNature-based Solutions and Multi-level Governance for Carbon-neutral and Resilient Cities and Regions
 
On Saturday, 8 December 2018, Ecologic Institute hosted a side event in the EU Pavilion at the COP24 in Katowice (Poland), in cooperation with ICLEI Europe. Invited practitioners and experts discussed the role nature-based solutions (NBS) and multi-level governance play... Read more

Discussion:Nature-based Solutions and Multi-level Governance for Carbon-neutral and Resilient Cities and Regions

Date
Location
Katowice, Poland
All events on Adaptation