The West Region, the first in Romania to have a strategy for resilience and adaptation to climate change, through a project implemented by ADR Vest.
The West Region will benefit from the support of the European Union, through the EIT Climate KIC and the Pathways2Resilience project, in developing a strategy for a climate-resilient future, in accordance with the objectives set at European level.
40 regions and communities begin their journey with Pathways2Resilience – they will participate in an 18-month program that involves a transformative approach to adapting to climate conditions and what they generate, from drought to fires or floods.
The Agency for Regional Development West – ADR Vest will implement in this regard the "PACT4.0WEST" project, which aims to transform the West Region into a region with zero carbon emissions by 2050. The ADR Vest application for the West Region was selected to be part of the 40 that will enter this European program, out of a total of 164 applications.
Following the implementation of PACT4.0WEST, the West Region will be the first in Romania with a strategy, an innovation agenda and an action plan for resilience and adaptation to climate change.
The climate adaptation and resilience strategy will be developed by promoting involvement and collaborative governance, but also by developing smart electronic tools.
The project includes the creation of an e-interactive platform, which will provide information on climate change at the regional level – “West Region’s Climate Resilience Knowledge Hub and Dashboard”, as well as the construction of a regional network for collaboration and governance for climate adaptation – “West Climate Resilience Network”.
The 40 communities and regions will work with project partners to draw up not only a climate change resilience strategy, but also an action plan and an investment plan in this regard.
Pathways2Resilience experts will support regions with step-by-step technical guidance on a transformative adaptation approach – the Regional Resilience Journey. This will include capacity-building activities, multiple learning opportunities, knowledge exchange and access to a comprehensive toolkit for climate resilience. Representatives from the 40 selected regions and Pathways2Resilience partners will meet for the first time in The Hague in October to kick off the work.
“The transition to climate resilience will require a transformation that goes beyond the execution of technical tasks and involves changing mindsets and mindsets. A resilient future for all requires not only protecting the vulnerable, but also ensuring that they participate in designing solutions and have access to emerging opportunities. We can have thriving communities while adapting to a changing climate, through the power of collaboration, ingenuity and sharing knowledge,” said Laura Pando Martínez, EIT Climate-KIC expert and Pathways2Resilience project coordinator.
The implementation period of the PACT4.0WEST project is 18 months, until February 2026.
Pathways2Resilience is an EU-funded programme supporting over 100 regions and communities across Europe to co-design an innovative vision for a climate-resilient future. It is a flagship initiative of the EU Mission on Climate Change Adaptation, which is based on the assessment of climate risks and opportunities for resilience and helps regions find, in a participatory way, adaptation pathways.
Through two public calls, with a total funding of €21 million, the selected regions will develop climate resilience and adaptation plans and climate innovation agendas.
