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Event

4th European Climate Change Adaptation conference (ECCA)

The biennial European Climate Change Adaptation conference is convened by projects that have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Framework Programme. ECCA 2019 – Working together to prepare for change – is the fourth such conference, to be hosted in Lisbon from 28–31 May 2019.

Photo: Mangrove at Pulau Dua Natural Reserve. Photo: Aulia Erlangga / CIFOR, Flickr.

28 to 31 May 2019
Lisbon, Portugal and Online

Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB)

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 present the paper, “Recommendations for co-producing user-oriented climate services: insights from three Swedish case studies on adaptation to natural hazards”.

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.

How to register

Register for the event through the ECCA 2019 website.

Register now

SEI presenters

Nella Canales
Nella Canales

Research Fellow

SEI Headquarters

Åsa Gerger Swartling
Åsa Gerger Swartling

Head of Knowledge Management, Senior Research Fellow

Global Operations

SEI Headquarters

Profile picture of Julia Barrott
Julia Barrott

Impact and Learning Officer

Global Operations

SEI Oxford

Sukaina Bharwani

Senior Research Fellow and weADAPT Director

SEI Oxford

Heidi Tuhkanen
Heidi Tuhkanen

Senior Expert (Green and Circular Economic Transformations Unit)

SEI Tallinn

Richard J.T. Klein
Richard J. T. Klein

Team Leader: International Climate Risk and Adaptation; Senior Research Fellow

SEI Headquarters

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