Coastal regeneration as key driver for climate change adaptation

Climate change threatens economic development globally, with distinct disparities in accelerating risks across regions as well as their capacities to adapt, in terms of socio-economic conditions, financing and technological solutions eccessibility. Coastal communities and Maritime Regions are at the forefront of impacts driven by climate change and sea level rise. It is estimated that in Europe these impacts could generate by 2100 more than €800 Billion loss due to the potential economic impacts on its 271 Maritime Regions, especially vulnerable to climate change. The role of planning for the necessary adaptive regeneration of coastal cities and lirs, ports and natural areas, has become increasingly central to the future of coastal communities and their regions economies, environment and social apects, as well as appropriate policies, funds and funding lines, scientific research & industrial applications able to support the great challenge of transforming territories to face climate change.

In order to take stock of advancements and give views on new opportunities in this frame, the appointment this year is focusing on policies and governance for adaptation at European, National and Regional/Local level, the instruments under implementation or new to come, and on the contribution that the scientific, industrial and stakeholders’ community can give to the process of adaptation of coastal territories. The event, arranged in high-level round tables, is intended in giving examples, good practices and reflections on extent to which the current system has the capacity to address appropriately the transformations that the climate change calls as necessary and which further steps should be envisaged to better address climate change on coastal areas, dealing also with regional disparities. To make the event leave its contribution along this process, the intention also is to come out with a “manifesto” providing suggestions on further steps that policies and planning instruments could do in further supporting and facilitating adaptive regeneration operations of the coastal zones.