Event description 

In the face of escalating climate change impacts, effective adaptation planning at the regional level is critical. As communities grapple with increasingly frequent and severe climate-related challenges, bridging the gap between knowledge and policy becomes imperative. This event aims to address this gap by facilitating dialogue and collaboration among policymakers, scientists, and experts to enhance regional adaptation strategies.

Objectives of the dialogue 

Bring together decision-makers with practitioners and researchers to discuss and exchange on how to strengthen adaptation plans and strategies looking at concrete ongoing projects and plans under elaboration such as the draft Scottish National Adaptation Plan and other regional strategies. 

Topics for discussion

• Exploring strategies to leverage climate finance for adaptation effectively and engaging with the private sector. 
• Defining criteria for success: aligning policy and scientific perspectives for successful adaptation plans. 
• Strengthening monitoring and evaluation practices to ensure effective adaptation. 
• Integrating international perspectives into regional adaptation plans: internationalization in regional adaptation strategies. 

Context

Regions4 is a leading global network of state and regional governments working towards biodiversity protection, localising sustainable development goals, and climate adaptation. 

With its reinforced RegionsAdapt strategy, Regions4 supports regions from all over the world in stepping up their commitments to develop, implement, report, and improve the impact of their resilient actions and adaptation plans. 

The MAIA project is part of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and aims to make the current dispersed knowledge and research at the EU level more accessible and connected to policymakers and practitioners for accelerating climate action through the organisation of policy outreach events, among other activities. 

Regions4 is an official partner of the MAIA project, and its role is to connect our regional network to the MAIA project to allow for peer learning, technical exchange, training activities, and cooperation opportunities. 

The Scottish Government is an active member of Regions4 and is keen to align as far as possible with the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. In January 2024, the Scottish Government published a draft National Adaptation Plan and hopes as part of this session to garner feedback on the plan from the international community. The final plan will be published later this year. 

Organisers

• Regions4 through the RegionsAdapt initiative 
• In partnership with the Scottish Government and the MAIA EU project

Audience 

Practitioners, regional government representatives and experts: Regions4 members and RegionsAdapt partners, the MAIA consortium partners, and Scottish relevant partners upon invitation.

Output 

A report of the event will be drafted by Regions4 for wide circulation and dissemination as part of RegionsAdapt learning materials, and MAIA’s Policy Briefs. 

Want to learn more? Contact mcorvaro@regions4.org