The new EU Adaptation Strategy of 2021 and the EU Climate Change Act emphasise the need for faster and more systematic adaptation to climate change at all levels (EU, national, regional, local) with the aim of achieving a climate-resilient society in the long term. At the national level, Italy has an adaptation plan, and the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol would like to devote more attention to the topic of climate change adaptation strategy and, in addition to work on an adaptation strategy, also develop concrete sector-specific and overarching adaptation measures. The development of this adaptation strategy is coordinated and moderated by Eurac Research but involves, as a joint process, actors from the provincial administration and research as well as actors from civil society. The project aims to: 1) understand and identify climate risks and 2) identify adaptation needs and develop cross-sectoral adaptation measures. The project is divided into 4 phases:

a) Exploratory work to define timeline, data, action needs and approach;

b) Climate risk analysis of climate impacts and risks for natural systems and societal action fields.

c) Identification of adaptation needs and measures;

d) Communication and participation of various stakeholders from the addressed fields of action as well as from civil society.

The project is financed by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano and has a duration of 18 months (January 2023-Dicember 2024).