THE PROJECT

The European Local Authorities are already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change and are expected to react quickly to protect territories, people and resources through the adoption of adaptation measures.

MASTER ADAPT aims to meet these needs by identifying, testing and disseminating multi-level governance tools to support regional and local authorities in the integration of adaptation into sectoral policies.

MASTER ADAPT aims to provide a common methodology to support Regions to identify the main vulnerabilities and priorities and, in particular, to draw up guidelines for the governance of adaptation in urban areas.

The Metropolitan Areas and Aggregation of Municipalities will be the focus of the project: tools will be developed to facilitate the optimization of relations with the top-level planning, to increase and coordinate municipal planning capacity and facilitate public – private cooperation.

This activity will be paired with a mainstreaming process for the design and implementation of regional adaptation strategies by coordinating the different levels of territorial government (State, Regions, Local Authorities) and between the different policies involved (planning, landscaping, agricultural, environmental, civil protection).

Thanks to the methodology and tools that will be processed, the approach of MASTER ADAPT will be highly transferable and replicable in other areas, Regions and Cities, as an instrument for integrating adaptation to climate change across Europe.

Partners

MASTER ADAPT, started in October 2016 and lasting three years, is structured in the following actions:

PREPARATORY ACTIONS
At the beginning of the project, MASTER ADAPT will work on an initial assessment of the current situation, with the following activities:
– Climate analysis and vulnerability assessment at regional level, to identify impacts, risks and vulnerabilities for key sectors and provide indicators and guidelines for climate analysis and vulnerability assessment at regional and local level.
– Assessment of mainstreaming processes in selected climate change adaptation practices across the EU to create an EU network and capitalise experiences.

IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS
These actions are the core of the project and they will be developed in:
– setting adaptation targets at regional and sub-regional level according to a vertical and horizontal mainstreaming process.
– developing effective methods for mainstreaming and multi-level governance in the Definition of regional adaptation strategies.
– mainstreaming the adaptation strategy and measures for intermediate administrative level: groups of municipalities and metropolitan cities.
– replicability and trasferibility of the project’s results in other Regions (in Italy and in Austria) and Municipalities.

MONITORING OF THE IMPACT
This action is aimed at monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of the MASTER ADAPT actions as compared to the initial situation in the target areas (Lombardy and Sardinia Regions, target areas at local level)
Activities foreseen are the monitoring and measuring of the LIFE Project Specific Indicators and the Monitoring and measuring of ther relevant indicators that may provide useful information of the MASTER ADAPT impact.

COMMUNICATION & DISSEMINATION ACTIONS
Strong communication and networking activities will be developed and implemented during MASTER ADAPT lifetime and beyond: you may find more information on the Communication and Networking sections.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING
A general coordination and monitoring of the project, technical and financial aspect, coordinated by the Sardinia Region.

Expected results

The expected results of ADAPT MASTER are:

Climate analysis and vulnerability assessment in Sardinia and in the selected project’s areas, followed by specific Guidelines;
Policy Guidance for setting adaptation targets and planning at regional and sub-regional levels;
General and specific objectives of adaptation strategies for the territories involved;
MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming and multi-level governance in the definition of regional adaptation strategies.
MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for the implementation of mainstreaming in groups of municipalities and in metropolitan cities
15 new signatories of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy;
Vertical regional mainstreaming test cases for 1 sector in Lombardy and 1 in Sardinia:
40 adaptation measures adopted in the territories involved;
250 decision-makers involved and trained;
30 meetings at local and regional level;
1 national event and 6 workshops and panels at European level;
participation to 5 events at European and International level;
1 network of European Regions and Cities that share practices on adaptation to climate change.

TERRITORIES

Sardinia Region

One of the Italian regions most involved in the process of development of regional adaptation plans is the Region of Sardinia, MASTER ADAPT coordinator.
The Sardinia Region coordinates the italian Interregional Board, established by the Environment and Energy Commission of the Conference of the Regions, as leader for the harmonization and alignment of local adaptation plans under the national strategy.
From 1 April 2016, the same presidency of the Environment and Energy Commission of the Conference of the Regions has been attributed to the Region of Sardinia.

The main activities for the Sardinia Region within MASTER ADAPT will be:

Regional climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at regional level
test cases for regional vertical mainstreaming in one sector
dissemination
project coordination

Metropolitan Area of Cagliari

MASTER ADAPT will involve all the cities within the Metropolitan Area of Cagliari (Cagliari, Sarroch, Pula, Villa S.Pietro, Assemini, Capoterra, Decimomannu, Elmas, Sestu, Settimo S.Pietro, Sinnai, Selargius, Monserrayo, Quartucciu, Quartu S.Elena, Maracalagonis, Sinnai) located in southern Sardinia.

The main activities for the Metropolitan Area of Cagliari within MASTER ADAPT will be:

territorial climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at local level
implementation of MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming adaptation at local level
adoption of adaptation measures
dissemination at local level

City of Sassari

MASTER ADAPT will involve the City of Sassari, located in northern Sardinia.

The main activities for the Sassari area within MASTER ADAPT will be:

territorial climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at local level
implementation of MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming adaptation at local level
adoption of adaptation measures
dissemination at local level

Aggregation of cities in the northern part of Milan

MASTER ADAPT will involve an aggregation of cities in the northern part of Milan (Seveso, Desio, Varedo, Bovisio-Masciago, Cesano Maderno, Barlassina, Lentate sul Seveso, Meda), in Lombardy.

The main activities for the aggregation in Lumbardy within MASTER ADAPT will be:

territorial climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at local level
implementation of MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming adaptation at local level
adoption of adaptation measures
dissemination at local level

Metropolitan City of Venice

MASTER ADAPT will involve all the cities within the Metropolitan City of Venice located in Veneto.

The main activities for the Metropolitan City of Venice within MASTER ADAPT will be:

territorial climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at local level
implementation of MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming adaptation at local level
adoption of adaptation measures
dissemination at local level

Aggregation of Cities in Northern Salento

MASTER ADAPT will involve an aggregation of cities in norther Salento (Campi Salentina, Squinzano, Surbo, Trepuzzi, Novoli, Salice Salentino, Guagnano), in Apulia region.

The main activities for this aggregationwithin MASTER ADAPT will be:

territorial climate analysis and vulnerability assessment
set up of general and specific adaptation targets at local level
implementation of MASTER ADAPT Guidelines for mainstreaming adaptation at local level
adoption of adaptation measures
dissemination at local level

Lombardy Region

Lombardy Region, one of the most populated region in Italy, adopted in 2014 the “Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy” – the first regional Adaptation strategy adopted by an Italian Region – in order to define a mix of coordinated actions aiming to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience of natural and socio-economic systems.

The main activities for the Lombardy Region within MASTER ADAPT will be:

bring its expertise in setting up a regional Climate Change Adaptation Plan
Policy Guidance for setting adaptation objectiuves and planning for adaptation at regional and subregional level
test cases for regional vertical mainstreaming in one sector
dissemination