CONTEXT OF THE PROGRAMME

Grant Programme

Climate Change Adaptation Grant Programme (CCAGP) aims to strengthen adaptation actions to climate change in Turkey. The total amount of funds allocated for the projects to be supported under the program is EUR 6.8 million, announced in 2020. The deadline for full applications was 29 April 2022 for projects that passed the preliminary evaluation process. Project owners who are successful in the evaluation will be entitled to receive a grant, and the projects are expected to start in March 2023. Accordingly, training regarding the full application evaluation process was held on 25 April 2022 for the related staff of the MoEUCC.

The objective of the Grant Programme is to enhance climate change adaptation in Turkey, improve the resilience of communities and cities, protect natural resources and ecosystems, and enhance the adaptation capacity of vulnerable economic sectors. UNDP, in cooperation with the Republic of Turkey and the European Union, continues to support reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and facilitating the integration of climate change adaptation into relevant new and existing policies, programs, and activities, particularly development planning processes, and strategies

DESCRIPTION

Turkey prepared the first National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (NASAP) in 2011. UNDP, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (MoEUCC), currently pursues efforts to update the plan by the end of 2023. UNDP also prepares urban adaptation strategies and action plans for 4 pilot municipalities, Konya, Muğla, Sakarya, and Samsun.

As adaptation efforts in the face of climate change are delayed, climate adaptation will be more difficult and costly. Therefore, national and local adaptation strategies and action plans play a crucial role. NASAPs and Local Adaptation Strategy and Action Plans are one of the most important mechanisms for adapting to climate change. They seek to identify the short and long-term adaptation needs through strategic planning based on projections of future climate change.

OBJECTIVES of the Program

The planning process includes preparing the ground for adaptation, assessing vulnerabilities and risks, identifying and prioritizing adaptation options, implementing actions, and tracking progress and results. Updating and having an adaptation plan aims to make people, places, ecosystems, and economies more resilient to the impacts of climate change and respond to the adaptation needs of the sectors. A similar understanding applies to local action plans. Strategy and action plans include studies covering climate change vulnerability and risk assessments at the sectoral level and suggestions on adaptation action. Plans cover ten different sectors: water resources management, agriculture, ecosystem service and biodiversity, public health, energy, transportation and communication, industry, urban, social development, tourism, and cultural heritage.

Context of the concrete initiative of the workshop in Barcelona:

Urban areas are especially vulnerable and face numerous challenges in addressing and adapting to climate change due to their dense populations, infrastructure, and economic activities. According to the United Nations, cities are estimated to account for around 70% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, a major component of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, the Mediterranean region is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its unique geographical and climatic characteristics. Climate change impacts in this region are multifaceted and profound, affecting ecosystems, water resources, agriculture, and human health and its impacts are even more evident in urban and metropolitan areas. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic metropolitan perspective integrating climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into urban planning, infrastructure development, public health initiatives, and social equity policies. Such strategies rely upon improved coordination between metropolitan public and private stakeholders to optimise land use, plan multimodal transport systems to reduce car use, and promote green and blue infrastructure. The European Union (EU) encourages its member states, regions, and local governments to develop climate change adaptation action plans (CCAAP) as part of its broader efforts to address climate change impacts. CCAAP are strategic documents outlining specific actions and measures aimed at reducing vulnerability, enhancing resilience, and adapting to the changing climate conditions with a long-term vision and through multilevel governance with public and private stakeholders.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES of the workshop in Barcelona:

The objective of the “Mediterranean Climate Change-Adaptation Metropolitan Initiatives Workshop”, co-organised with the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), is to share experiences between MedCities members on planning climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and articulating territorial stakeholders around them. Focusing on the implementation of such plans, the workshop will discuss the shared challenges faced by Mediterranean cities and the innovative solutions implemented to achieve metropolitan adaptation by creating a space for the debate between Mediterranean metropolises in this regard. The workshop is part of the “Make a move for adaptation to climate change project”, in the frame of which the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality is currently developing its CCAAP with the financial support provided by the EU.

The first day of the seminar will include round table discussions on the challenges faced by Mediterranean Metropolises and the adaptation strategies implemented in their territories, as well as a detailed discussion on good practices. The second day of the conference will feature a technical study visit to showcase good practices in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.

SDGs aligned

The “Mediterranean Climate Change-Adaptation Metropolitan Initiatives Workshop” contributes to these SDGs:

• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
• SGD 7- Affordable and clean energy
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13 – Climate Action
• SDG 14- Life below water
• SDG 15 -Life on land
• SDG 17- Partnership for the goals