Climate change is considered by many to be the challenge of the 21st century. The urgency and severity of this challenge call for integrated ways of looking at responses to reduce risks associated with environmental and social stressors, and ensure a secure future for humans and ecosystems. Adapting to climate change requires a coordinated and synergistic approach from a diverse range of actors across sectors, as well as questioning assumptions about the drivers of risk, vulnerability and environmental change.
A cooperative approach allows us to improve learning and knowledge exchange in order to deliver optimal solutions. Interaction and collaboration with the disaster risk reduction (DRR) community is a critical element in improving climate change adaptation (CCA), as the communities share similar goals and activities. Bringing the two groups together is particularly important in relation to the goals and targets of the three major international agreements: Paris, Sendai Framework for DRR and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 4th ECCA aims to:
- Provide a space that facilitates a dialogue among a diverse range of actors from academia, government, business and community on the multiple aspects of climate change adaptation
- Promote the communication and knowledge exchange between researchers, policymakers and practitioners
- Find integrated solutions and inspire action
- Support ongoing efforts to enhance the coherence and synergy between CCA and DRR research, policy and practice
- Discuss key challenges and solutions in cities
- Provide a stage for presenting European’s excellence on Research and Innovation for CCA
- Inform the next European funding framework for Research and Innovation
The biennial European Climate Change Adaptation conference is convened by EU-funded projects on behalf of the European Commission.
SEI contributing projects, initiatives and tools
The PLACARD programme, one of the ECCA organizers
PLACARD is working to improve collaboration, communication and coordination between the large and complex landscape of stakeholder networks, research, platforms and information sources regarding Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction communities in Europe.
The Connectivity Hub, a new “search and discovery” tool
The Connectivity Hub, part of the PLACARD programme, is a new “search and discovery” tool that helps users find relevant knowledge and organizations working on climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) issues.
The SEI Initiative on Climate Services
The climate services initiative brings SEI expertise to bear in this emerging field – involving the production, tailoring, interpretation and transfer of high-quality climate information to support planning and decision-making – with a focus on adaptation and disaster resilience.
weADAPT
The weADAPT online space aims to bring together practitioners, researchers and policy makers to actively share knowledge and learn from each other on issues relating to climate change adaptation, so that adaptation activities across the world can be as well-informed as possible.
A sunrise over Lisbon. Photo: mariusz kluzniak / Flickr.
Sessions and events
SEI will participate in the following ECCA sessions and events.
Financing climate change adaptation and post disaster reconstruction
11:15 Tuesday 28 May, OC024, Room S11
Nella Canales will present the paper, “Discourse analysis on index-based insurance for climate change adaptation and private sector: Lessons from international initiatives operating in sub-Saharan Africa”.
Examining the challenges of co-designing climate services
14:00 Tuesday 28 May, OC063, Room S16
Åsa Gerger Swartling will also present “Co-designing climate services ‘in context’: Climate in Tandem, a process- and decision-led framework and online guidance”.
Exploring the potential of linked open data and artificial intelligence approaches
14:00 Tuesday 28 May, SP007, Room PA
Julia Barrott and Sukaina Bharwani will run the session, “Advancing ‘Search & Discovery’ for climate action: Exploring the potential of Linked Open Data and Artificial Intelligence approaches” together with partners the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership and Semantic Web Company.
Knowledge co-production and brokerage for climate services
16:15 Tuesday 28 May, Room S16
Åsa Gerger Swartling will be chairing this session.
Poster session: Climate risk management & resilience
19:00 Tuesday 28 May, PO173, PS15
Heidi Tuhkanen will be presenting the desk study, “Filling the R & A gap with private sector investments – Green Bonds Case Study”.
PLACARD legacy dialogues: pursuing long-term, positive impact
19:00 Tuesday 28 May, Jorge da Sena Room, 1st floor
Organized by the PLACARD programme (PLAtform for Climate Adaptation and Risk reDuction), this Legacy Dialogue will be convened over dinner and will be an opportunity to discuss the evolving climate change adaptation and DRR landscape in Europe and to help us plan for continuing the vital work of linking up these growing communities.
Richard Klein and Kevin Adams are hosting.
Supporting and further strengthening institutional coordination between and capacities of CCA and DRR communities – recommendations and ways forward
11:15 Wednesday 29 May, SP018, Room S1
Sukaina Bharwani and Julia Barrott will be presenting.
Decision-support platforms and tools for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction
14:00 Wednesday 29 May, SP028, Room S1
Julia Barrott and Sukaina Bharwani will be contributing to the topic, “Understanding the landscape of adaptation platforms in Europe – improving complementarities and connecting needs and practices” with the weADAPT platform and The PLACARD Connectivity Hub.
Analysing co-production and transdisciplinarity frameworks in climate services
16:15 Wednesday, 29 May, OC201, Room S11
Sukaina Bharwani will be discussing the topic, “Testing co-exploratory approaches for decision support and eliciting information needs in urban contexts in southern Africa”.
Global climate change impacts via European foreign trade
11:15 Thursday 30 May, OC083, Room S5
Kevin Adams and Frida Lager will be presenting.
Search and discovery of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction landscape
12:30–13:00 Thursday, 30 May, TS023, Room 15
Sukaina Bharwani and Julia Barrott will show the PLACARD Connectivity Hub in the Tool-shed room, where innovative tools in the context of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are on display.
