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Innovation for place-based transformations

Transformative innovation for climate resilience

Climate resilience is of a transversal nature, requiring systemic approaches. Place-based transformative innovation can therefore help accelerating the adaptation of the EU and its territories to the impacts of climate change.  

Objectives

The work aims to support the development of a climate adaptation economy in the EU and its territories, by reinforcing the role of innovation and transformative innovation in adaptation to climate change. As such, it focuses primarily on governance processes, allowing to turn the challenge of climate resilience into an opportunity for growth, jobs and creating competitive (territorial) advantages, while addressing expected societal impacts of climate change.  

  • Increasing the general understanding of the roles of transformative innovation in accelerating adaptation to climate change 

  • Supporting EU territories, in particular the EU Climate Adaptation Mission Charter signatories, in implementing adaptation strategies supported by (transformative) innovation. 

  • Experiment implementation of place-based transformative innovation for climate resilience in EU territories  

  • Based on co- creation, provide concrete and hands-on guidance for implementation of innovative adaptation strategies in EU territories. 

  • Advance the knowledge base by codifying learnings from experimentation and targeted support.

Duration

A concrete collaboration supporting the EU Mission on Climate Adaptation runs until Spring 2025. More generally, innovation for place-based transformation aims to increase competitiveness, including through advancing climate resilience, for the coming years.  

Partners

EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, supporting cities, regions, countries and industries to meet their climate ambitions through systems innovation and place-based transformations.

The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change empowers European regions and local authorities to achieve climate resilience, aiming to guide at least 150 communities through understanding climate risks, developing pathways for preparation, and implementing innovative solutions by 2030.

The DRMKC Risk Data Hub is a multi-hazard Geo-portal designed to bridge science and policy across different scales, facilitating collaboration between scientists and end-users. Developed based on needs identified in a 2016 assessment, it aims to make research results more accessible and usable for decision-makers.

The European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPT is a partnership between the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA). Climate-ADAPT is maintained by the EEA with the support of the European Topic Centre on Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation (ETC/CCA).

The Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) leads the European Commission's efforts to fight climate change at EU and international level.

Key outputs

  • Conceptual links between transformative innovation and climate adaptation 

  • Analysis of bottlenecks and good practices in innovation for adaptation 

  • Case studies for selected EU territories on implementing adaptation strategies through systems innovation 

  • Targeted guidance on smart specialisation and transformative innovation for climate adaptation 

  • Experimentation and co-creation in testing implementation of systems change for climate resilience, e.g. through target peer reviews 

Working groups

The PRI Pilot initiative on Transformative Innovation for Climate Resilience engages the Partnerships for Regional Innovation’ territories with a commitment to systemic transformation in response to the climate challenge, and in particular, those that are at the same time signatories of the Climate Adaptation Mission Charter. The WG offers to the participants the platform to share experiences, learn from each other, and contribute to the co-creation of shared strategic insights and of regional innovation partnerships, together with the JRC that facilitates this Working Group in collaboration with DG CLIMA and EIT Climate-KIC.

Peer Reviews

Online Peer-Reviews on transformative innovation for Climate Change Adaptation focus on putting the climate adaptation economy into practice. Participants discuss with peers from other territories the current status & open opportunities for advancing in transformative CCA policies.

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