New EU initiative for cities on adaptation
EU DG Climate Action is launching a new network initiative for climate change adaptation of European cities. Future Cities partners helped to shape the initiative in two consultation workshops in December 2013 and January 2014. The initiative invites cities, regions and local governments to show leadership in climate change adaptation, and will support them in developing strategies for concrete action.
In the first workshop, the cities of Arnhem and Nijmegen were asked as “Front-runners” to discuss the basic points of a commitment statement. In the second workshop the draft statement was developed further to comply with the cities’ needs towards a realistic, but nevertheless ambitious commitment. Furthermore, cities and city networks discussed the concept for a technical guidance on adaptation. The Future Cities Adaptation Compass could serve as a good guiding example. Participants agreed that the aim should be a meta guidance leading through the jungle of already existing information.
Commissioner Connie Hedegaard will announce the creation of the initiative during the Launch event in Brussels on 19 March (16:30). In June 2014 the initiative's Signature Ceremony for Mayors is scheduled.