The RegionsAdapt 2018 Report was launched during UNFCCC COP24 and reflects the urgent need for vertical integration and multi-level governance to accelerate 

the implementation of the Paris Agreement

• The report gathers information from 38 regional governments from 16 countries from all over the world.
• Together, regional governments reported over 260 different adaptation actions.
• More than half of the regions that reported their data are involved in the development and/ or implementation of their national adaptation policies.

Katowice, 8 December 2018 – In the context of the discussions on the implementation of the Paris Agreement during the UNFCCC COP24, in Katowice, Poland, 38 regional governments from 16 different countries around the world disclose information on their adaptation efforts and climate risks as a response to the urgent need to take action. The RegionsAdapt 2018 Report: Multi-level governance in climate change adaptation is the result of the third year of work of the RegionsAdapt initiative, a global framework led by the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development – nrg4SD, with the support of the CDP’s states and regions platform, that was launched in COP21, with the aims to inspire and support regional governments to take concrete action, collaborate and report efforts on climate change adaptation. 

The Report contains data from more than half of the current 71 RegionsAdapt members. Participants disclosed their data on climate risks and adaptation efforts to CDP’s states and regions platform as one of the commitments they agree upon by joining the initiative. This year, current and future risks resulting from climate change impacts that have been reported include 185 physical risks, as well as 97 socio-economic risks and 79 risks to regional governments’ water supply. 

“Extreme rainfall events were the climate change impact causing most of the physical risks to the territories of the disclosing governments, followed by heat waves, droughts and more hot days.” said Vanessa Pulgarín, RegionsAdapt Project Manager, and continued “The most common water supply risks that have been reported are increased water stress or scarcity, declining water quality and flooding, whereas the most reported socio-economic risks from climate change are the increased risk to already vulnerable populations, health risks and increased incidents and prevalence of disease.”

Responding to the urgency to act that arises from these risks from climate change, the disclosing regional governments are developing and implementing different adaptation strategies and actions. In total, 165 adaptation actions addressing the physical risks, 42 additional actions focusing on the socio-economic risks, as well as 61 additional adaptation actions in response to water supply risks resulting from climate change, have been reported. 

“The RegionsAdapt 2018 Report shows the commitment and determination of regional governments to provide for resilient territories and societies, creating a safer future for their citizens.” said Natalia Vera, Secretary-General of nrg4SD. 

This year’s RegionsAdapt report also touches upon the topic of multi-level governance, confirming the need for vertical integration of adaptation policies. As confirmed by the Paris Agreement, adaptation needs to be addressed by all levels of government. Therefore, more than half of the regions that reported their data, are involved in the development and/ or implementation of their national adaptation policies. In addition, those regional governments recognise the importance of ensuring that local realities are reflected adaptation plans and are involving their local counterparts.

NOTES TO EDITORS

8 December 10:00 – 11:00 CET

Venue: Action Hub

LAUNCH OF the RegionsAdapt 2018 Report: Multi-level governance in climate change adaptation

Other related events:

7 December from 10:00 to 13:00

Lubelskie Climate Action Room 3

Marrakesh Partnership Human Settlements Action Event: Integrated and Multilevel Action to Raise Ambition

The event consists of three different panel discussions: 1) integrated climate action; 2) zero-emission and resilient buildings and construction; 3) Financing multi-level climate action, with nrg4SD coordinating the first panel. The concept note of the event can be found here.

13 December 15:00 – 16:30 

Room Narew

Integrating adaptation and the SDGs – The potential of multi-level governance 

Event on the potential of integrating adaptation and sustainable development on different governance levels. It will showcase cooperation between national and subnational governments in order to align the goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Media contact 

Thais Ferraz – Communications Officer, nrg4SD 

M: +34 633 235 432 

tferraz@nrg4sd.org

About the nrg4SD

The Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development – nrg4SD – is a global association that solely represents regional governments in the international agendas on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development. It was established in 2002, at the World Summit in Johannesburg, and today has over 50 members from almost 30 countries in 4 continents. The nrg4SD serves as the voice of regional governments at UN negotiations, European Union initiatives and global discussions, advocating for recognition and supporting the engagement of regional governments. It facilitates cooperation projects and partnerships between members, and with international experts and promotes expertise exchange, capacity building and knowledge transfer.

In the field of climate change, nrg4SD runs RegionsAdapt, an initiative designed to inspire and support regional governments to act, collaborate and report efforts on climate change adaptation. Launched at UNFCCC COP 21, the initiative expanded from 27 founding members to almost 71 members, which represent a combined population of more than 295 million inhabitants from 26 countries on 5 continents.

For more information:nrg4sd.org | @nrg4SD |  #RegionsAdapt  |  regionsadapt@nrg4sd.org

Please find the RegionsAdapt 2018 Repor and other nrg4SD publications here:http://www.nrg4sd.org/category/case-studies