Members of the European Committee of the Regions took part in the 3rd Forum of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, organised in Brussels on 23 May. The mission aims to support local and regional authorities to develop innovative solutions and boost their resilience against disruptive heatwaves, droughts, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events that are increasingly impacting cities and regions across Europe.
The conference was opened by Brussels minister of Environment Alain Maron on behalf of the Belgian EU Council Presidency, and the Commissioner for Climate Wopke Hoekstra. As pointed out by Commissioner Hoekstra, the implementation of adaptation measures largely falls on local and regional authorities that need coordinated support from national governments and the EU. He stressed that a proactive approach anticipating risks is an investment for safer future: the cost of inaction largely outweighs the cost of prevention measures.
President of the European Committee of the Regions Vasco Alves Cordeiro addressed the opening with a video message: “Local and regional authorities are required to step up climate adaptation efforts and resilience measures to protect lives, infrastructure, and businesses. Nevertheless, we face several barriers. Often, cities and regions are relegated to the role of implementers of pre-designed strategies. This reality highlights the currently insufficient multilevel governance in national and European policy making. By bringing together local and regional authorities, Member States, and the EU level, the EU Mission on adaptation to climate change has demonstrated the power and the importance of collaboration in driving effective climate adaptation."
Joško Klisović (HR/PES), President of Zagreb City Assembly, participated in a panel discussion where he called for more support to local and regional level, including direct financing from the EU.
"The EU cannot afford having an ambitious climate and energy strategy whilst at the same time lacking appropriate implementation tools. The current governance regulation on climate action and energy union falls short. We call for a new governance framework aimed at safeguarding the future of the European Green Deal with a strong social dimension, which actively involves cities and regions as essential actors in its implementation. Our efforts on mitigation must go hand in hand with adaptation. Preparing for more severe droughts and other severe effects of climate change will require a Climate Adaptation Law and a European Water Strategy among the top priorities for the next EU term", Mr Klisović said.
François Decoster (FR/Renew Europe), Vice-President of the Hauts-de-France region and Mayor of Saint-Omer, recalled that areas around his town have suffered from recurring and devastating floods in recent months with a brutal impact on the inhabitants. He urged for more collaboration between all levels of government and highlighted the need to involve citizens in the monitoring and prevention processes. Following a request from the French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Decoster has recently drafted a report analysing best practices in water management in Belgium and the Netherlands.