National ECRAN Adaptation Teams Launch Workshop (Step A)
Date: 24-25.11.2014
Place: Tirana, Albania
Organizer: ECRAN Secretariat with EC TAIEX Unit
Many countries are already affected by climate change including the Western Balkans and Turkey. These countries
are considered to be highly vulnerable and expected to experience the effects of rising temperatures and disruption
to their precipitation regimes, along with more extreme events, including droughts, floods, heat waves, windstorms
and forest fires. Water availability will be affected, energy supply disturbed, food production will come under
pressure and food prices will rise while biodiversity will decline.
Key vulnerabilities are associated with many climate-sensitive systems, including food supply, infrastructure, health,
water resources, coastal systems, ecosystems, global biogeochemical cycles, ice sheets and modes of oceanic and
atmospheric circulation.
The National Communications to the UNFCCC of the ECRAN beneficiaries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo*[1] , Serbia, and Turkey) have identified the sectors in the Western
Balkans and Turkey that are most vulnerable to climate change, these being water resources, biological diversity,
agriculture, forestry, tourism, cultural heritage and human health.
Within its Climate Component, ECRAN will promote 'climate-proofing' action by further encouraging adaptation in
key vulnerable sectors ensuring that the infrastructure is made more resilient, and will support better informed
decision-making by addressing gaps in knowledge about adaptation. ECRAN will address adaptation action by
coordinating adaptation activities with the European Climate Adaptation Platform (Climate-ADAPT) as the 'one-stop
shop' for adaptation information in Europe.
In October 2014 the ECRAN Environment Ministers/Climate Coordinators have been requested to nominate
NATIONAL ECRAN ADAPTATION TEAMS which with the assistance of EU Member States experts will work together
on the following:
- Climate Adapt tool – Prioritisation of Adaptation Needs
- Identification of Adaptation Options
- Prioritisation of Adaptation Options
- Policy and Legal Changes
The ECRAN Adaptation Programme includes a series of workshops that will guide the National ECRAN Adaptation Teams through the different stages towards developing national climate adaptation policies and legislation (Activity 4.2), combined with regional training sessions that support Beneficiary Countries’ experts from selected technical areas to carry out risk and vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning (Activity 4.1.b).
The programme envisages three regional trainings, with each to last for up to two days. The three priority fields that are proposed for the training are:
- Water Management;
- Urban Areas (Physical Planning);
- Energy.
Objectives of the workshop
Wider Objective:
To promote climate adaptation action in the Western Balkan countries and Turkey.
Specific Objectives:
To enhance the understanding about climate adaptation action among a core of Beneficiary countries’ representatives, creating climate adaptation policies and planning as a basis for action.
Expected Results of the workshop
- a tentative informal network of National Climate Adaptation Teams from Western Balkan countries and Turkey initiated and established
- enhanced and harmonised understanding among National Climate Adaptation Teams about the Climate Adapt Initiative’s approach and mechanisms
- improved cooperation and coordination among authorities in Western Balkan countries and Turkey in the area of climate adaptation action
- increased (steps towards) climate adaptation action planning in place in the Western Balkan countries and Turkey.
1 *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
