Climate change adaptation (CCA) is a demanding challenge for small to medium-sized municipalities, as these are typically restricted in (i) knowledge on climate change (CC), (ii) identifying specific threats at the local level, and (iii) personnel and financial capacities to additionally integrate CCA into their administrative practice and implement necessary measures. Nevertheless, in many European countries the responsibility for building, maintaining and adapting local infrastructure is with the municipalities, either at city level or at the level of regional planning authorities. LIFE LOCAL ADAPT strives towards meeting these needs. In order to improve the resilience of European municipalities and regions to adverse negative impacts of CC such as heavy rain, heat and drought, the four key objectives:

1. Implementation of specific climate change adaptation measures in cooperation with municipalities;

2. Integration of climate change adaptation into the administrative practice of local authorities;

3. Enhancing the knowledge of municipalities on climate change adaptation;

4. Improving the data and information base on climate change impacts.

To realize the implementation of specific measures on the local level, municipal knowledge and capacities must be increased first. Updated data and information on CC impacts, risks and vulnerabilities are a prerequisite to a profound knowledge transfer which enables decision makers to take the right decisions and to integrate CCA into their administrative practice. Support of best practice examples of CCA is often a necessary additional incentive.

Each key objective is backend with a set of tailored actions and sub-actions and a sound time-line. Result indicators were thoroughly defined for each sub-action in order to measure the project´s progress towards these objectives.

Six project partners from four countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Latvia) will bring in their valuable experience and proficiency into LIFE LOCAL ADAPT. In the course of the five year project they will strive to enhance the capacity of municipalities to cope with the impact of climate change and will contribute remarkably to the implementation of the EU Strategy on Adaptation to climate change.