EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 12.11.2018 SWD(2018) 460 final EMPTY COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Adaptation preparedness scoreboard Country fiches Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation of the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change {COM(2018) 738 final} - {SEC(2018) 472 final} - {SWD(2018) 461 final}



EUROPEAN

COMMISSION Brussels, 12.11.2018 SWD(2018) 460 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Adaptation preparedness scoreboard Country fiches Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation of the EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change {COM(2018) 738 final} - {SEC(2018) 472 final} - {SWD(2018) 461 final} Table of contents Note to the Reader Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus The Czech Republic

Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg 435 Malta 453 The Netherlands 475 Poland 502 Portugal 529 Romania 566 Slovakia 592 Slovenia 617 Spain 642

Sweden 667 The United Kingdom 695 Note to the Reader This Staff Working Document collects the adaptation preparedness scoreboard country fiches for each Member State. Under Action 1 of the EU’s Strategy on adaptation to climate change (COM(2013)216), in collaboration with the Member States, the Commission developed an ‘adaptation preparedness scoreboard’. Using the scoreboard, the Commission prepared country fiches on each Member State in an iterative consultation process. The country fiches assess the Member States’ adaptation policy, including the content of NASs and plans, for the following aspects: §Institutional structure §Quality of national vulnerability assessments §Knowledge creation (national observation systems in relevant sectors and climate modelling), transfer and use §Action plans: -Quality (incl. the basis used for assessment of adaptation options) -Actual implementation mechanisms §Funding mechanisms §Mainstreaming into sectoral policies, in particular: -Disaster risk reduction -Spatial planning -Environmental impact assessment (EIA) (how the Directive is transposed) -Insurance policy §Transboundary cooperation

§Monitoring mechanisms in different sectors and governance levels The fiches are based on internal work by the Commission and on targeted assistance from an external contractor. They also served as input to the assessment of Action 1 of the Strategy during its evaluation. Annex IX of the Commission’s linked SWD on the evaluation of the Strategy presents a horizontal assessment of the 28 country fiches, while Annex X presents the list of scoreboard indicators and the methodology used in applying them. The assessments in the country fiches (yes/no/in progress) need to be read in conjunction with the narrative that accompanies them. They assess the state of play within each EU Member State. While all effort has been made to ensure the coherence across fiches in the assessment of the same indicator, it should not be directly compared across the Member States. Two countries with a "yes" on the same indicator could have a different national situation leading to that assessment. Not all indicators have the "in progress" status, some can only be "yes" or "no".



Adaptation preparedness scoreboard country fiche for Austria Table of contents List of abbreviations POLICY FRAMEWORK Adaptation strategies A1. National adaptation strategy A2. Adaptation strategies adopted at subnational levels Adaptation action plans B1. National adaptation plan B2. Adaptation plans adopted at sub-national level B3. Sectoral adaptation plans SCOREBOARD Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1. Coordination structure

2 Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3 Current and projected climate change 4 Knowledge gaps 5 Knowledge transfer Step C: Identifying adaptation options 6 Adaptation options’ identification 7 Funding resources identified and allocated Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8 Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 9 Implementing adaptation Step E: Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation activities 10 Monitoring and reporting 11 Evaluation SUMMARY TABLE List of abbreviations ACRP Austrian Climate Research Programme APCC Austrian Panel on Climate Change BMNT Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism

CCCA Climate Change Centre Austria COIN Costs of Inaction EAA Environment Agency Austria EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EUSALP EU Strategy for the Alpine Region LURK Provincial Environmental Speaker’s Conference NAP National Adaptation Plan NAS National Adaptation Strategy NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NUTS Classification of Territorial Units for Statistics PACINAS Public Adaptation Costs: Investigating the National Adaptation Strategy PATCH:ES Private Adaptation Threats and Chances: Enhancing Synergies SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SKKM Strategy for National Crisis and Disaster Protection Management VIOLA Violent Observed Local Assessment ZAMG Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics ÖREK Austrian Spatial Planning Concept ÖROK Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning



POLICY FRAMEWORK

Adaptation strategies A1. National adaptation strategy In Austria, a national adaptation strategy (NAS) was adopted on 23rd October 2012 by the Council of Ministers and endorsed by the Provincial Governors’ Conference on 16th May 2013. The Austrian NAS consists of two parts: a Strategic Framework (or “Context”) and an Action Plan . The aim of the Austrian NAS is to avoid the adverse effects of climate change on the environment, society, and the economy and to fully utilise any opportunities that may arise. The NAS aims to create a national framework to ensure coordination and harmonisation of the various climate adaptation activities in all areas. In August 2017, a revised version of the NAS was adopted by the Austrian Council of Ministers, which was subsequently also approved by the Conference of the Governor’s of the Bundesländer (NUTS II) in November 2017. This new version aims to update and further develop the NAS, while preserving its overall structure. A2. Adaptation strategies adopted at subnational levels In Austria, the Bundesländer have legislative and executive powers (e.g. with regard to spatial planning, nature protection, transport), which are relevant to climate adaptation. The Bundesländer are also responsible for the administration, implementation and enforcement of certain federal laws at lower levels of government. Representatives from all Bundesländer were actively involved in the development of the NAS and NAP. The Bundesländer have either developed regional adaptation strategies (Oberösterreich, 2013; Steiermark, 2015; Vorarlberg, 2016; Salzburg, 2017) or integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies (Tirol, 2015), or have integrated adaptation into existing climate mitigation strategies (Niederösterreich, 2011; Wien, 2009). Kärnten is in the process of preparing a climate adaptation strategy. In Burgenland, adaptation measures are directly integrated into sectoral programmes and strategies. The Bundesländer propose, enact and implement measures. Overall, 93.6% of the population and 88.6% of the territory of Austria are covered by sub-national adaptation strategies (with Kärnten as the only Bundesland without one). Adaptation action plans B1. National adaptation plan A national adaptation plan (NAP) was adopted in 2012 (as part of the NAS) and revised in 2016 (and approved together with the revised NAS in 2017, see above). The NAP presents a catalogue of 136 adaptation options for 14 areas of action. These areas are: agriculture, forestry, water resources and water management, tourism, energy (with a focus on the electricity industry), protection from natural hazards, construction and housing, disaster risk management, health, ecosystems and biodiversity, transportation infrastructure and selected aspects of mobility, spatial planning, business/industry/trade, and cities (with a focus on urban green and open spaces). B2. Adaptation plans adopted at sub-national level The NAP makes reference to a range of individual Bundesländer in its 136 adaptation options, however, only Tirol and Vorarlberg have also prepared (together with their strategy) their own action plan with relevant state-specific adaptation measures . The development of local adaptation concepts and measures is supported by KLAR! – Climate Change Adaptation Model Regions , a programme which was launched in 2016. Until the end of March 2017, regions and municipalities were invited to submit their applications including a basic concept to the Climate and Energy Fund, who initiated the programme in cooperation with the Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT). Since 2018 and up until 2020, beneficiaries are now working on implementing the measures laid out in these concepts. In a third phase post-2020, the action plans and their executed measures will then be evaluated. An increasing number of activities carried out at regional and local level can be identified already; however, these are not always explicitly labelled as adaptation. Many of these activities are fostered by applied research projects, which are financed by the ACRP (Austrian Climate Research Programme) of the Climate and Energy Fund and StartClim . Examples of Bundesländer-level activities are: touristic concepts and water management measures for an important large lake in eastern Austria, research projects devoted to impacts and adaptation measures in the Alps, projects for flood risk management and spatial planning, protection of forests and habitats, and concepts for safeguards against summertime overheating of buildings in urban areas. The Austrian government has recently published a good practice guide presenting various examples of how cities and communities can implement adaptation actions . B3. Sectoral adaptation plans A range of sectors are discussed in the NAP, as well as the Tirol action plan on adaptation and others. However, no sector-specific adaptation plans exist as of today. SCOREBOARD Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1. Coordination structure 1a. A central administration body officially in charge of adaptation policy making Yes / No

In Austria, the BMNT (formerly, BMLFUW) holds overall responsibility for adaptation policy-making (Division I/4 of the BMNT). One of its main assignments is to provide guidance by keeping the NAS and NAP updated, as well as by drafting the progress report on its implementation. The NAP is implemented in collaboration with a wide range of fellow ministries, regional government actors and sector stakeholders. 1b. Horizontal (i.e. sectoral) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, with division of responsibilities Yes / In progress / No All federal ministries were invited to join the NAS and NAP development process and to provide feedback and comments on the document via three rounds of written consultations. More precisely, the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Coordinate Measures to Protect Global Climate (IMC Climate Change) was regularly updated on the status of work towards the NAS. (According to the latest amendment of the Austrian Climate Protection Law, § 4. (2), instead of the IMC the National Climate Protection Committee is in charge of adaptation to unavoidable climate impacts. The Committee meets at least once a year and is chaired by the BMLFUW.) Given the holistic and cross-sectoral nature of adaptation action, there is a need for horizontal coordination in the implementation phase as well. In accordance with the current division of competences (after the national election in 2017), the BMNT holds a much broader range of responsibilities as concerns areas of action in climate change. The National Climate Protection Committee is the relevant institutional body, set up by law, to provide sectoral coordination of adaptation and mitigation measures. The Austrian Spatial Planning Concept (ÖREK) , also calls for the continued organisation of ‘round table’ meetings between sectoral representatives to discuss relevant climate-related issues during the implementation of measures. 1c. Vertical (i.e. across levels of administration) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, enabling lower levels of administration to influence policy making. Yes / In progress / No The Bundesländer are highly committed to cooperating with the Federal Ministry (BMNT) on climate adaptation. Climate coordination officers/units have been installed in all provincial governments and act as the main agents of vertical cooperation with the National Ministry . The Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism together with all Bundesländer (decision taken by the LURK - Provincial Environmental Speaker’s Conference) has established an implementation plan summarising a few specific measures to be implemented in close cooperation, as a first step. One of the decisions was the implementation of “dialogue events” in various Austrian cities. Twelve such dialogue events took place in 2016 and 2017. The National Climate Protection Committee is the relevant institutional body, set up by law, to provide vertical (and sectoral) coordination of adaptation and mitigation measures. 2 Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development 2a. A dedicated process is in place to facilitate stakeholders' involvement in the preparation of adaptation policies Yes / No A broad participatory process conducted by the Environment Agency Austria (EAA) accompanied development of the NAS. The main objective of the participation process was to discuss the adaptation options identified by the scientific community (expert studies) with stakeholders from the organised public (e.g. federal and provincial ministries or related institutions, interest groups and social/environmental NGOs) for inclusion in the policy paper . Stakeholders were consulted during the development of the NAS via online-surveys, written feedback on policy drafts and advisory committees. Governmental stakeholders from national level and sub-national level have been actively involved. The private sector, interest groups and researchers have been consulted and information has been gathered from the general public. 2b. Transboundary cooperation is planned to address common challenges with relevant countries Yes / No In the NAS/NAP, cooperation to address common challenges with neighbouring countries is not explicitly addressed. Nevertheless, Austria is participating in several international partnerships that are actively working on climate change and adaptation issues, although it is not clear how these interact with the Austrian strategic approach to adaptation. Austria is a contracting Party to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, which adopted a Climate Adaptation Strategy in 2012 . The Strategy is based on a thorough assessment of possible climate impacts and suggests possible means to adapt to and mitigate them. Austria is also a member country of the Alpine Convention, a framework that sets out general measures for sustainable development in the Alpine region. A ministerial declaration on climate change was adopted in 2006, followed in 2009 by an action plan of measures for the Alpine region to contribute to the reduction of emissions affecting the climate and the development of strategies to adapt to a changing environment. Within the Alpine convention, guidelines have been developed on local climate adaptation in relation to water management and natural hazards in the Alps . In addition, the recently established Advisory Committee on the Alpine Climate (Alpine Climate Board) under the Alpine Convention gathers climate change specialists from the eight Alpine States and observer organisations. It aims to bundle the current contributions of the Alpine Convention to climate mitigation and adaptation. The Board will prepare recommendations for future reinforced action, for the attention of the next Alpine Conference in 2018, with the establishment of a climate-neutral Alpine space 2050 as the overarching goal.

A shared task of all Alpine countries is to intensify research work on the consequences of climate change. Joint activities are taking place in the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) in Action Group 8 , which focuses on improving risk management and coping with climate impacts, including major natural risks prevention. The EU Interreg project, C3-Alps aimed to foster transboundary cooperation with the focus on information and knowledge transfer . During the course of the C3-Alps project (2012-2014), an informal exchange among ministerial representatives of all Alpine countries was initiated. Meetings took place twice per year and served the purpose of transnational coordination for issues of common concern. These activities are continuing. Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3 Current and projected climate change 3a. Observation systems are in place to monitor climate change, extreme climate events and their impacts Yes / In progress / No Data collection and provision is located at the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) with meteorological stations measuring temperature, precipitation, wind, sunshine and many other meteorological parameters . Since 1948, data about damage caused by extreme events have been recorded by ZAMG. The VIOLA (VIolent Observed Local Assessment) project started in 2014 with the development of a digital extreme-weather-platform. It works like a search engine for extreme events and offers different search options. In the frame of the project damage.at (funded by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund), the feasibility for the development of an Austrian-wide damage-database for weather- and climate-related natural hazards is currently being assessed . 3b. Scenarios and projections are used to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change, taking into account geographical specificities and best available science (e.g. in response to revised IPCC assessments) Yes / In progress / No New regional climate scenarios for Austria and its nine provincial states have been available since Autumn 2016. The scenarios are based on 13 EURO-CORDEX models, a 12.5km x 12.5 km grid, and use two greenhouse gas scenarios. Results are available via the Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA) data portal . A scientific evaluation of the financial consequences of climate change in Austria was presented in January 2015 as results of an ACRP project, Costs of Inaction (COIN) . The main results of two projects – PACINAS (Public Adaptation Costs: Investigating the National Adaptation Strategy) and PACTCH:ES (Private Adaptation Threats and Chances: Enhancing Synergies with the Austrian NAS implementation) – were published in mid-2017. The ACRP also emphasises the social aspects of climate change. Projects, such as Capital-Adapt , have used projections and collected data on a variety of indicators to assess the climate vulnerability of different parts of society. 3c. Sound climate risks/vulnerability assessments for priority vulnerable sectors are undertaken to support adaptation decision making. Yes / In progress / No The Austrian NAS (2017) contains a qualitative vulnerability assessment for nine sectors (i.e. water, tourism, agriculture, forestry, electricity and energy, housing and construction, health, ecosystems and biodiversity and transport/infrastructure). It was carried out by the Environment Agency Austria in cooperation with the Institute of Meteorology of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. The vulnerability reports fed into the NAS. Separate studies have not been carried out for the other five sectors (protection from natural hazards, disaster risk management, spatial planning, business/industry/trade, cities). Nevertheless, a descriptive vulnerability assessment has been included in the NAP 2017 for all 14 sectors, although it highlights the differences in the level of knowledge and detail across sectors. The Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC) published a report in September 2014 , after the release of the IPCC Working Group III 5th Assessment Report. The APCC report consists of three volumes that present existing knowledge on climate change in Austria, and the needs and possibilities for mitigation and adaptation. 3d. Climate risks/vulnerability assessments take transboundary risks into account, when relevant Yes / In progress / No The vulnerability assessments described in relation to Indicator 3c do not take transboundary risks into account. Nevertheless, as noted in relation to Indicator 2b, Austria is involved in a range of transboundary cooperation initiatives some of which address relevant transboundary risks; these primarily focus on the River Danube and the Alpine region.

4 Knowledge gaps 4a. Work is being carried out to identify, prioritise and address the knowledge gaps Yes / In progress / No The Austrian Assessment Report 2014 (AAR14) built an active network of Austrian research institutions, individual scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to carry work on climate change forward. At the initiative of Austrian universities, the CCCA was formally established in 2011. The objective of the CCCA is to improve the quality and efficiency of Austrian climate research not only through networking and promoting cooperation, but also by enhancing its international visibility . A workshop with scientists was conducted, within the framework of the participatory process accompanying the development of the NAS , to determine the research needs specifically for implementation of measures in the NAS. The aim was to facilitate a dialogue between scientists/researchers and politicians and other decision-makers. The 2015 progress report on the NAS also indicated research needs. In addition, the CCCA Science Plan 2017 showcases the research needs and gaps identified by the Austrian scientific community. The research needs identified are being addressed in research programmes such as the ACRP of the Climate and Energy Fund and the national climate research programme StartClim . The eleventh and most recent (June 2018) guide for calls for proposals of the ACRP focuses especially on four thematic areas where knowledge gaps persist. These are ‘Understanding the climate system and consequences of climate change’, ‘Specific support for Austria’s policymakers’, ‘Systemic transformation – the human dimension’, and ‘Governance and institutions – towards systemic transformation’. Specific topics range from biodiversity and agricultural aspects to social dimensions of climate change. One special report discussing ‘Tourism, large cultural and sports events and climate change’ was funded in the frame of the tenth ACRP call for proposals. 5 Knowledge transfer 5a. Adaptation relevant data and information is available to all stakeholders, including policy makers (e.g. through a dedicated website or other comparable means). Yes / In progress / No The website of the BMNT contains information on the NAS, various activities in climate adaptation including, for example, a brochure on good practices for municipalities . The national platform for climate adaptation contains information on climate research, policies, proposed implementation measures and examples and support for municipalities, the Bundesländer and sectors. The databank is useful for finding relevant resources, e.g. sector-specific research or adaptation practice for a specific region. It is possible to subscribe to a newsletter . The climate research department of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) presents scientific information on climate change . CCCA’s website provides climate data and information on ongoing research activities . 5b. Capacity building activities take place; education and training materials on climate change adaptation concepts and practices are available and disseminated. Yes / In progress / No For raising public awareness on climate impacts and adaptation, the Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism has published a brochure for the general public , “translating” the national adaptation strategy’s content into easily understandable language and providing concrete tips for individuals. This brochure has been sent to all municipalities in Austria and has been further distributed via contacts and networks. A handbook with methods and tools that help to tackle the challenges of adaptation was published to support politicians and experts in the public administration of provinces and cities, as well as actors in regional management in developing adaptation strategies. It provides guidance for the strategic and proactive examination of climate impacts. A practical guide on local adaptation is available , which provides information on regional climate impacts and specific measures that can be implemented by cities. It also includes tools that can be used in workshops. The NAS includes recommendations for communication and education of the wider public but does not provide information on the coordination of capacity building. The BMNT, together with the provincial states, have financed various capacity building activities at regional and local levels (e.g. workshops in regions, a brochure with 11 good-practice examples on adaptation from regions across Austria ). Capacity building mostly functions through a cooperation-based network approach to vertical governance with predominantly voluntary instruments. Examples reflecting the nature of this cooperation-based network are dedicated workshops in the Bundesländer, which were financed by the Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism in cooperation with the Climate and Energy Fund. These workshops aimed to support the Bundesländer in building adaptive capacity, discuss means of implementation, and highlight research results relevant to the respective province, as a basis for deciding on concrete adaptation measures. As mentioned above, a new pilot project to foster adaptation in Austrian regions started in September 2016 . In 2016, a handbook for so-called ‘Multiplicators’ (i.e. Adaptation managers, Energy modelling managers, regional managers) was released to implement adaptation action at regional and municipal level . Further trainings building on this guide and other study materials were provided to ‘Multiplicators’ up to the beginning of 2018 (“learning workshops”). Since April 2018, these Bundesländer-level consultants and advisors support municipalities and regions in the implementation of adaptation activities . Step C: Identifying adaptation options

6 Adaptation options’ identification 6a. Adaptation options address the sectoral risks identified in 3c, the geographical specificities identified in 3b and follow best practices in similar contexts Yes / No The NAS contains a qualitative vulnerability assessment for nine out of the 14 sectors (see Indicator 3c). For the remaining five sectors, the NAP presents a descriptive vulnerability assessment. Adaptation options are based on these assessments (including geographic specificities where relevant), stakeholder consultations and expert judgment. Adaptation measures are described in detail and interlinkages to other areas and links to existing instruments are indicated. 6b. The selection of priority adaptation options is based on robust methods (e.g. multi-criteria analyses, stakeholders' consultation, etc.) and consistent with existing decision-making frameworks Yes / No Adaptation options have not been prioritised, but criteria for prioritisation are identified in the NAS. In general, measures that provide benefits independent of climate change (“win-win”) or measures that entail no disadvantages in case the actual climate trends do not correspond to projections (“no-regret”) should be prioritised, as well as flexible measures. Furthermore, prioritisation according to the “Europe 2020 – A strategy for intelligent, sustainable, and inclusive growth” is suggested. 6c. Mechanisms are in place to coordinate disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and to ensure coherence between the two policies Yes/ In Progress / No As an alpine country, Austria has been used to adapting and coping with environmental risks for centuries. The Federal Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the coordination of the State Crisis and Disaster Protection Management in Austria, whereas the BMNT is responsible for coordinating the national adaptation policy. One of the NAS actions aims at coordinating disaster protection management and adaptation policies, through a continuous review, modification, and implementation of the SKKM Strategy 2020 (Strategy for National Crisis and Disaster Protection Management) , taking into account the effects of climate change. Regular exchange between the Ministries and working groups on the NAS as well as the progress report ensure bi-lateral coordination. Joint efforts to work on the 2nd National Risk Assessment, as well as on the upcoming national portal for the reduction of disaster risk in Austria , leads to regular exchange and improved coordination. 7 Funding resources identified and allocated 7a. Funding is available to increase climate resilience in vulnerable sectors and for cross-cutting adaptation action Yes / In Progress / No The NAS does not include a dedicated budget (no numbers) or an expenditure commitment for adaptation activities to increase climate resilience in vulnerable sectors and for cross-cutting adaptation action. The NAS only states that “the implementation of the recommendations must be achieved within the existing jurisdictions of all governmental authorities (federal, state, local)” and are to be “covered by the resources available in the applicable financial frameworks of the public sector (federal, state, local)”. While it is not possible to conclude directly that a critical mass of actions or consistent funding is in place for vulnerable sectors, the phrasing of the NAS does indicate that sufficient funding should be available for them. Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8 Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 8a. Consideration of climate change adaptation has been included in the national frameworks for environmental impact assessments Yes / No

Climate adaptation will be addressed by an amendment to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Law in Austria in 2018. The guidance documents for conducting EIA Reports are currently being revised in order to comply with the requirements of the amended EIA Directive. However, neither the change to the Law nor to the guidance documents has been finalised at the time of writing this fiche. Legislation on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Austria does not, currently, refer to climate adaptation or vulnerability in its list of criteria to assess. 8b. Prevention/preparedness strategies in place under national disaster risk management plans take into account climate change impacts and projections Yes / No The proposed measures in the NAP to improve natural disaster preparedness under climate change are based on experiences with natural disaster management in the past and expert judgement. One of the proposed actions in the NAP is developing knowledge of the projected change in natural processes and resulting possibilities for early warning systems. The other adaptation measures are mainly related to the precautionary principle, including through hazard zoning and promoting hazard and risk awareness, self-sufficiency and responsible behaviour. The National Crisis and Disaster Protection Management Strategy 2020 does not include projected climate change effects and does not mention climate change as one of the major challenges for disaster protection management. One of the proposed actions in the NAP is to adapt and implement the SKKM Strategy 2020 in line with expected climate change impacts. 8c. Key land use, spatial planning, urban planning and maritime spatial planning policies take into account the impacts of climate change Yes / No The Bundesländer are responsible for spatial planning legislation. Therefore, the level at which climate impacts are taken into account varies in state-specific legislative documents. The 2015 progress report on the implementation of the NAS/NAP states that some aspects, such as flood risks and natural hazard management, are frequently mentioned in spatial planning legislations but zoning and green infrastructure are not . The Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning (ÖROK) developed the Austrian Spatial Planning Concept (ÖREK) in 2011 . This is a non-binding agreement signed by the national government, the Bundesländer, and the convention of municipalities. Among other things, the concept lays out pathways to integrate adaptation action (e.g. zoning, energy-efficient construction, flood management) into regional legislative documents. However, the 2018 mid-term evaluation of the ÖREK does not report on progress in this endeavor. The mainstreaming of climate adaptation into urban planning policies is more advanced. The Vienna urban development plan 2025 (STEP 2025) mentions climate adaptation measures as an integral part of planning the management and enhancement of the city. The ‘Grünes Netz Graz’ (Green Grid Graz) developed by the city of Graz is a further example of a municipal strategy paper for urban planning that places ecological and climate-specific measures at its core. Nonetheless, the overall incidence of such climate-focused urban planning policy documents and strategies across Austrian cities is low. Austria does not have a coastline and, therefore, has no plans for maritime spatial planning. 8d. National policy instruments promote adaptation at sectoral level, in line with national priorities and in areas where adaptation is mainstreamed in EU policies Yes / In Progress / No The NAS provides guidance for the development and amendment of national policy instruments at sectoral level to promote adaptation. However, it is recognised in the NAP (and its progress report) that only a few sectoral instruments explicitly address adaptation and other climate-relevant issues. Institutional barriers and lack of political momentum currently hinder the implementation of cornerstone policies that include adaptation measures at sectoral level (e.g. in health and transport) . Nevertheless, climate adaptation is being integrated into sectoral policies for agriculture (within the National Agricultural Programme, 2015), forestry, energy , and biodiversity . In addition, a 2018 study on the effects of climate change in the water sector is set to inform climate-relevant policy development. 8e. Adaptation is mainstreamed in insurance or alternative policy instruments, where relevant, to provide incentives for investments in risk prevention Yes / No Several recommendations proposed under relevant sectors (e.g. agriculture, protection from natural hazards, disaster risk reduction, health, business) in the NAP involve the insurance sector and refer to it as a key actor. Recommendations include the development of new risk assessment methods, development and extension of risk-sharing instruments, and awareness-raising. At present, there is limited information available about the extent to which these actions have been implemented. A standardisation of contributions for insurances against natural hazards in the agricultural sector is underway. The ‘Österreichische Hagelversicherung’ is the main insurance company for agriculture against natural disasters, including hail, frost, storms, snow load, droughts, floods, and animal pests. Target groups are farmers, gardeners and wineries. ‘Hagelversicherung’ also initiates targeted climate action projects. The NAP progress report indicates that the insurance of agricultural land has remained constant, no new instruments have been developed to promote further insurance in the sector (only new schemes under the ‘Hagelversicherung’ that focus more on droughts: ‘Dürreindex’). Furthermore, there has not been much progress in the drafting of the natural disaster insurance that was mentioned in the NAP (‘NatKat-Versicherung’). However, first steps towards the creation of a public-private partnership for risk transfers have been made. In general, the progress report concludes that it is not yet clear to what degree climate adaptation is integrated within private risk management.

Thus, although insurance schemes incentivising investments in enhanced resilience and/or risk prevention are not yet in place, there are several ongoing activities and discussions in this field. 9 Implementing adaptation 9a. Adaptation policies and measures are implemented, e.g. as defined in action plans or sectoral policy documents Yes / In Progress / No The progress report evaluates the state of implementation of the proposed actions in the NAP. Several proposed measures have been implemented. They include mainstreaming of climate change in sectoral as well as regional policy documents, such as the National Agricultural Programme or, more recently, the Forest Strategy 2020+ (see Indicator 8d for more detail). Furthermore, several Bundesländer have published regional adaption strategies and action plans (see Sections A2 and B2 above). Nonetheless, climate change and adaptation are not yet considered sufficiently in strategic policy documents throughout Austria. Institutional barriers and lack of political momentum still slow down and hinder the implementation of adaptation measures across sectors and regions . 9b. Cooperation mechanisms in place to foster and support adaptation at relevant scales (e.g. local, subnational) Yes / No For vertical coordination throughout the implementation phase, existing committees, such as the National Climate Protection Committee, are important for regular exchange of information, experience, lessons learned and close contact between the Ministry and the provincial states. The Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, together with all provincial states, established an implementation plan summarising specific adaptation measures to be implemented in close cooperation as a first step. The Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism supports adaptation activities across regions or municipalities mainly by providing information , via funding specific projects, or by developing tools and guidelines . A number of ACRP-financed projects (e.g. Capital-Adapt, FAMOUS, AdaptBehaviour, CcTalK!, Go-Adapt) are fostering regional cooperation in adaptation. The measures described in the action plan identify key actors responsible for implementation, but the NAS does not prescribe a clear governance system that ensures necessary coordination for turning recommendations into specific actions. The Ministry of Sustainability and Tourism organised workshops in 2014 in order to increase adaptive capacity in the provinces. Due to their success, a second series of workshops was organised in Autumn 2016, focusing on building the capacity of regional and local stakeholders. In addition, the monitoring and evaluation scheme is designed to enable dialogue between stakeholders, leading to a more efficient distribution of responsibilities for implementation. In September 2016, a new pilot project to foster adaptation in Austrian regions was initiated. In a first phase, regions apply for support in order to develop adaptation concepts and measures shaped to their special adaptation needs. Successful applications receive funding for an adaptation manager who is responsible for steering the process of implementing adaptation measures for a period of two years . 9c. Procedures or guidelines are available to assess the potential impact of climate change on major projects or programmes, and facilitate the choice of alternative options, e.g. green infrastructure Yes / No The Institute for Meteorology published a document entitled ‘Strategic support for integrating climate change into project planning for large projects’ , as part of the research project ENVISAGE-CC, funded by the ACRP. The project was successful in raising awareness of climate impacts with developers of large-scale infrastructure projects that are subject to EIA. A follow-up project named SPECIFIC (SPEcific Climate change ForesIght in projeCt design) has broadened the target audience to environmental authorities and consultants (EIA assessors/ practitioners), and focuses on rail, highway and power grid projects, leading to the EIA climate-fit portal . A handbook with methods and tools that help to tackle adaptation challenges was published in order to support politicians and experts in the public administration of provinces, regions and cities, as well as actors in regional management, to develop adaptation strategies (see Indicator 5b). The handbook provides guidance for strategic examination of the consequences of climate change in all areas of action covered by the NAS. The handbook is one of the main results of the project FAMOUS (Factory of Adaptation Measures operated ad different Scales) financed by the Climate and Energy Fund. Another overarching guidance published at the end of 2014 is a communication strategy focusing on practically oriented, target-group specific, and action-motivating recommendations for effectively communicating climate change and adaptation. Several guidelines have successfully supported implementation of adaptation measures (see also Indicator 5b). An example is the climate change (adaptation) handbook for spatial planning . Its tools have been widely tested and applied throughout the different Austrian alpine regions (as per the updated NAS). External handbooks (e.g. EU-level, transnational, national) and other forms of (national) guidance documents are mentioned by projects and plans and, thus, support the implementation of specific actions included in the NAP. 9d. There are processes for stakeholders' involvement in the implementation of adaptation policies and measures. Yes / No

Although activities have taken place in the past and there are some activities currently underway and planned, it is unclear to what extent non-public administration stakeholders are being involved in the implementation of adaptation policies and measures. To improve the management of natural disasters, the NAP (via a specific action) mandates inclusion of all relevant civil society actors in the decision-making and execution processes. The Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism, together with all of the Bundesländer, has established an implementation plan for the NAP. This plan summarises a few specific participatory measures to be undertaken as a next step. For example, a working group on increased private risk precaution in case of extreme weather events was established in Austria. In addition, it was agreed to make stronger joint efforts to support adaptation at regional level (e.g. through regional workshops, and a brochure with good-practice examples). Step E: Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation activities 10 Monitoring and reporting 10a. NAS/NAP implementation is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No A progress report was published by the BMNT in 2015 on the state of implementation of the measures described in the NAP. Monitoring and evaluation of the NAS/NAP is pragmatic and comprises two modules: 1) a self-assessment approach using a stakeholder survey based on the NAP and sent to the key actors mentioned therein; 2) an indicator-based approach with qualitative and quantitative data collections . No information is available on allocated budgets, but the cost of inaction was calculated by the ACRP project COIN in 2015 . The costs of public adaptation was calculated in the project PACINAS. Furthermore, the role of private actors in adaptation was analysed by the project PATCH:ES . All studies were reflected in the NAS and NAP 2017. The progress report is to be drafted and published at 5-year intervals. The next version is, therefore, due in 2020 . 10b. The integration of climate change adaptation in sectoral policies is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No The central progress report (see Indicator 10a) assesses the implementation of adaptation measures for 14 different sectors. Mainstreaming of climate adaptation into sector policies is one of the evaluation criteria of these sectoral assessments. 10c. Regional-, subnational or local action is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No As mentioned in relation to Indicator 10a, the progress report is based on heavy input from regional (Bundesländer) and local stakeholders (self-assessment approach). This feedback mechanism allows for significant vertical flow of information, qualifying the central progress report as a proper monitoring tool for regional, sub-national, and local adaptation action. 11 Evaluation 11a. A periodic review of the national adaptation strategy and action plans is planned Yes / No The concept note for the ‘presentation of progress’ (Konzept für die Fortschritts-Darstellung) that lies at the heart of the central progress report (see Indicator 10a) provides an evaluation framework for both the NAS and the NAP. The evaluation takes place within a five-year cycle . There is no formal revision framework that dictates a specific process for amending the NAS or NAP periodically. However, the release of the 2015 progress report and other political developments at the time triggered a first revision and update of the NAS and NAP documents in 2017. Therefore, the review timeline is characterised by an ad-hoc revision based on the findings of the five-year recurring evaluation/progress report of the NAS and NAP. 11b. Stakeholders are involved in the assessment, evaluation and review of national adaptation policy Yes / No

Stakeholder involvement and engagement (cross-ministerial and regional) in the development of the central progress report qualifies as active participation in the monitoring and reviewing process. In both the self-assessment approach and the indicator-based approach, stakeholders provided information and were consulted. Additional workshops took place to jointly work on the interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data for the progress report and to find consensus in the findings. The 2015 progress report was adopted by the Council of Ministers and all Provincial Governors.



SUMMARY TABLE Adaptation Preparedness Scoreboard No. Indicator Met? Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1 Coordination structure 1a A central administration body officially in charge of adaptation policy making Yes / No 1b Horizontal (i.e. sectoral) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, with division of responsibilities Yes / In Progress / No 1c Vertical (i.e. across levels of administration) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, enabling lower levels of administration to influence policy making. Yes / In Progress / No 2 Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development 2a A dedicated process is in place to facilitate stakeholders' involvement in the preparation of adaptation policies Yes / No 2b Transboundary cooperation is planned to address common challenges with relevant countries Yes / No Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3 Current and projected climate change 3a Observation systems are in place to monitor climate change, extreme climate events and their impacts Yes / In progress / No 3b Scenarios and projections are used to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change, taking into account geographical specificities and best available science (e.g. in response to revised IPCC assessments) Yes / In progress / No 3c Sound climate risks/vulnerability assessments for priority vulnerable sectors are undertaken to support adaptation decision making. Yes / In progress / No 3d Climate risks/vulnerability assessments take transboundary risks into account, when relevant Yes / In progress / No 4 Knowledge gaps 4a Work is being carried out to identify, prioritise and address the knowledge gaps Yes / In progress / No 5 Knowledge transfer 5a Adaptation relevant data and information is available to all stakeholders, including policy makers (e.g. through a dedicated website or other comparable means). Yes / In progress / No 5b Capacity building activities take place; education and training materials on climate change adaptation concepts and practices are available and disseminated Yes / In progress / No Step C: Identifying adaptation options 6 Identification of adaptation options 6a Adaptation options address the sectoral risks identified in 3c, the geographical specificities identified in 3b and follow best practices in similar contexts Yes / No 6b The selection of priority adaptation options is based on robust methods (e.g. multi-criteria analyses, stakeholders' consultation, etc.) and consistent with existing decision-making frameworks Yes / No 6c Mechanisms are in place to coordinate disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and to ensure coherence between the two policies Yes/ In Progress / No 7 Funding resources identified and allocated 7a Funding is available to increase climate resilience in vulnerable sectors and for cross-cutting adaptation action Yes / In Progress / No Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8 Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 8a Consideration of climate change adaptation has been included in the national frameworks for environmental impact assessments Yes / No 8b Prevention/preparedness strategies in place under national disaster risk management plans take into account climate change impacts and projections Yes / No 8c Key land use, spatial planning, urban planning and maritime spatial planning policies take into account the impacts of climate change Yes / No 8d National policy instruments promote adaptation at sectoral level, in line with national priorities and in areas where adaptation is mainstreamed in EU policies Yes / In Progress / No 8e Adaptation is mainstreamed in insurance or alternative policy instruments, where relevant, to provide incentives for investments in risk prevention Yes / No 9 Implementing adaptation 9a Adaptation policies and measures are implemented, e.g. as defined in action plans or sectoral policy documents Yes / In Progress / No 9b Cooperation mechanisms in place to foster and support adaptation at relevant scales (e.g. local, subnational) Yes / No 9c Procedures or guidelines are available to assess the potential impact of climate change on major projects or programmes, and facilitate the choice of alternative options, e.g. green infrastructure Yes / No 9d There are processes for stakeholders' involvement in the implementation of adaptation policies and measures. Yes / No Step E: Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation activities 10 Monitoring and reporting 10a NAS/NAP implementation is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No 10b The integration of climate change adaptation in sectoral policies is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No 10c Regional-, subnational or local action is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No 11 Evaluation 11a A periodic review of the national adaptation strategy and action plans is planned Yes / No 11b Stakeholders are involved in the assessment, evaluation and review of national adaptation policy Yes / No



Adaptation preparedness scoreboard country fiche for Belgium Table of contents List of abbreviations POLICY FRAMEWORK Adaptation strategies A1. National adaptation strategy A2. Adaptation strategies adopted at subnational levels

Adaptation action plans B1. National adaptation action plan B2. Adaptation plans adopted at sub-national level B3. Sectoral adaptation plans SCOREBOARD Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1. Coordination structure 2. Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3. Current and projected climate change 4. Knowledge gaps 5. Knowledge transfer Step C: Identifying adaptation options 6. Adaptation options’ identification 7. Funding resources identified and allocated Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8. Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 9. Implementing adaptation Step E: Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation activities 10. Monitoring, reporting and evaluation.

11. Evaluation SUMMARY TABLE List of abbreviations AMICE Adaptation of the Meuse to the Impacts of Climate Evolution BELSPO Belgian Federal Science Policy Office CCIEP Coordination Committee for International Environmental Policy EIA Environmental Impact Assessment NAP National Adaptation Plan NAS National Adaptation Strategy NCC National Climate Commission RMI Royal Meteorological Institute SSD Science for a Sustainable Development programme SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment TIDE Tidal River Development VAP Flemish Adaptation Plan VMM Flanders Environment Agency WGA Working Group on Adaptation



POLICY FRAMEWORK

Belgium is a federal state, composed of three regions and three language-based communities, each with its own executive and legislative bodies. These bodies intervene on an equal footing but in different areas of competence. The federal state level is in charge of competences like foreign affairs, national defence and parts of national health. This division of power means that what is considered as Belgium’s national climate adaptation policy is in fact the combination of the federal and three regional climate adaptation policies, which are those of the Walloon, the Flemish and the Brussels Capital region. At the national level, the National Climate Commission (NCC) plays the main role in internal coordination of climate policy. The Coordination Committee for International Environmental Policy (CCIEP) deals with international environmental affairs. The NCC, and more specifically its Working Group on Adaptation (WGA), is responsible for the development, adoption and implementation of the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). The WGA is composed of representatives from the Federal Government and the three different regions, as mentioned above,: ·The Federal Government: Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment (DG Environment) and Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation (DG Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid) ·Flemish region: Department of Environment and Spatial Development ·Walloon region: Agence wallonne de l’air & du climat ·Brussels region: Environment Brussels. When describing the national climate adaptation policy in the analysis presented in this document, all relevant activities in each of the four governments are included. Intergovernmental mechanisms refer to collaborations between the Federal, Flemish, Walloon and Brussels Capital regions. Vertical mechanisms are mechanisms between these regions and the provincial and local level. Adaptation strategies A1. National adaptation strategy Belgium has a National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), which was approved in 2010. The NAS describes the main climate impacts, the existing adaptation responses, a roadmap to the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and some policy guidelines for a climate proof future. The priority sectors are health, tourism, agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, ecosystems and water, coastal, marine and tidal areas, and production systems and physical infrastructure. The NAS pursues the improvement of the communication of and coherence between the adaptation activities among the different governments. A2. Adaptation strategies adopted at subnational levels The Federal Government and each of the three regional governments – the Walloon region, the Flemish Region and the Brussels Capital region – together contribute to the national adaptation policy. They do not have separate adaptation strategies, but are each responsible for part of the NAS relevant to their competences. Adaptation action plans B1. National adaptation action plan The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) was approved in April 2017. Priority sectors addressed in the NAP are agriculture, coastal areas, fishery, spatial planning and infrastructure, forests, biodiversity, energy, health, water management, tourism, industry and services, research and international cooperation. The NAP complements the existing Flemish, Brussels Capital, Walloon and Federal adaptation plans. It includes some additional adaptation measures to improve the coordination and information exchange between the different governments, for example developing high-resolution climate scenarios and a roadmap for a Belgian Centre of Excellence on adaptation. B2. Adaptation plans adopted at sub-national level On 2 May 2013, the Brussels Capital Region adopted its Air-Climate-Energy Code (known as COBRACE ). It serves as a legal basis for its Integrated Air-Climate-Energy Plan, which was adopted on 2 June 2016 and which includes a section on adaptation . Priority sectors are water management, infrastructure and built areas, energy, green areas and, forests. Other thematic plans that include adaptation measures are the 2012 Regional Water Management Plan , including a flood prevention plan created in 2003. A second regional water management plan has been adopted for the period 2016-2020 and integrates consideration of floods and flood risks . Furthermore, the region adopted the "Forêt de Soignes" management plan (2003) and its Nature Plan (2016), which both include adaptation measures. In January 2014, the Walloon government adopted its ‘Climate Decree’ giving a legal framework for climate policy in Wallonia. The main implementation instrument is the ‘Air-Climate-Energy Plan 2016 – 2022’ which contains a section on adaptation and was adopted on 21 April 2016 . This adaptation section summarises the impacts and vulnerability assessments, as well as detailed adaptation actions to deal with these impacts and vulnerabilities in the following sectors: agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, water, health and tourism.

On 28 October 2016, the Federal Government adopted the Federal Contribution to the National Adaptation Plan , which identifies federal adaptation actions in sectors like crisis management and transport. In addition, some provincial and local governments have signed the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and have developed adaptation plans, amongst others the Province of Antwerp, the Province of Limburg , and the City of Gent B3. Sectoral adaptation plans No sectoral adaptation plans have been identified. Sectoral adaptation measures from the different policy departments are, however, integrated in the national, federal and regional adaptation plans. SCOREBOARD Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1. Coordination structure 1a. A central administration body officially in charge of adaptation policy making Yes/ No In Belgium, the central administration body in charge of Belgian adaptation policy is the WGA, which is part of the NCC. It is the responsibility of the WGA to develop the NAS and the NAP. Representatives of the four levels of the Government, i.e. the Federal Government and the three regional governments, form the WGA. All of these four governments are equal and there is no hierarchical relationship between the regions and the federal authority. 1b. Horizontal (i.e. sectoral) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, with division of responsibilities Yes/ In progress/ No Horizontal coordination among sectors is organised by each of the federal and regional governments via meetings in committees and contact groups. These groups bring together representatives of various sectoral policy departments that are likely to be affected by climate change, such as water, agriculture, nature and forests, agriculture, health, spatial planning, disaster risk management, etc. Horizontal coordination mainly includes identification and follow-up of priority goals and adaptation actions. Furthermore, it addresses information and data exchange and pursues communication and synergy between the different sectors. The WGA, mandated by the NCC, was the central actor for the drafting of the NAS and the NAP. The WGA is in charge of the consultation with and coordination of the different regional/federal sectors for the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of the NAP. 1c. Vertical (i.e. across levels of administration) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, enabling lower levels of administration to influence policy making Yes/ In progress/ No To develop the NAS, representatives of the different governments of the WGA met regularly and continue to do so in order to discuss progress of the NAS and the implementation of adaptation plans. Vertical coordination in Belgium refers to coordination between the four governments, the ten provinces and the 589 local authorities. Vertical coordination is in place at some levels but not in a systematic manner. At the regional level, the departments involved in adaptation are in touch with provinces and local authorities, although not always through formal working groups or coordination mechanisms between the regional level and the provincial or the local authorities, but rather through cooperation mechanisms. The federal level has no competence with regard to provinces and local authorities. In Flanders, there is no formal coordination mechanism that vertically coordinates the provincial and local authorities, nevertheless coordination exists ad hoc and related to specific initiatives, such as the development of an adaptation portal. Furthermore, there was a pilot group with representatives of some local authorities and provinces that aimed to co-develop adaptation support tools, including a tool to explore adaptation measures, good adaptation practices, and a climate portal (under development) that collects all data on climate impacts at a municipal level in Flanders.

In contrast to Flanders, vertical coordination in Wallonia is formal. In July 2017, the Government signed a commitment to be a territorial coordinator of the Covenant of Mayors. In addition, the Walloon region has elaborated comparable adaptation support tools for local authorities. Vertical coordination is also planned to take place via the official territorial coordinators of the Covenant of Mayors. Eight out of ten Belgian provinces, and about 12 associations of municipalities (‘intercommunales’) have signed up as territorial coordinators. The main focus of this coordination so far is on mitigation, but it is expected that these administrations will also play a role in adaptation. There is no specific vertical coordination between Brussels Capital government and the local authorities. 2. Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development 2a. A dedicated process is in place to facilitate stakeholders' involvement in the preparation of adaptation policies Yes / No Stakeholders are involved in the preparation and implementation of adaptation policies in various ways. In all four governments, focus groups that included representatives of the different policy departments were established to identify objectives and priority measures. In addition, other stakeholders have been consulted as well during the process. More specifically: ·At the level of the Federal Government, there was a public consultation on the federal plan ‘adaptation to climate change’ (later renamed ‘federal contribution to the NAP’) between 17 February and 18 April 2014. Stakeholders involved included citizens, NGOs and sectoral organisations. The plan was also submitted to the Federal Council for Sustainable Development that includes representatives of society, including environmental organisations, organisation for development cooperation, users’, employees’ and employers’ bodies, youth organisations and scientists. ·In Flanders, stakeholder consultation during the development of the adaptation plan was carried out twice via ‘roundtables’. The first roundtable presented preliminary ideas about the adaptation plan, while the second roundtable focused on the draft version of the plan to offer a platform for stakeholders to discuss it. Stakeholders included industry representatives, environmental organisations, farmer organisations and youth associations. Furthermore, the ‘MINAraad’ was consulted on the draft Flemish Climate Plan. ·In the Walloon region, there was a public consultation on the adaptation plan in the summer of 2014. Citizens, companies and local authorities took part in the consultation. ·The Brussels adaptation plan went to public consultation in 2015. The national adaptation plan was submitted for consultation to the federal and regional advice councils, which include stakeholders from all societal sectors, such as environment, industry, employee, and science. 2b. Transboundary cooperation is planned to address common challenges with relevant countries Yes/ No Transboundary cooperation is a priority in the NAP. Action 10 of the NAP (“Promote transnational cooperation on adaptation”) aims to facilitate transnational cooperation on adaptation, covering both international cooperation between (neighbouring) countries and cross-border cooperation among countries with shared cross-border resources (e.g. water, protected areas) or other shared interests. The main foci for transboundary cooperation are disaster management, nature and water management. Cooperation mechanisms in these sectors already existed, nevertheless, it was recognised that further cooperation was needed. For instance, Belgium takes part in transboundary water management commissions of the Meuse and Scheldt. Belgium participated in Interreg projects, such as TIDE (Tidal River Development), AMICE, and Future Cities. Furthermore, the Flemish government coordinates the Interreg 2 Seas project PROWATER (protecting and restoring raw water sources through actions at the landscape scale), which is expected to start in September 2018. So far, transboundary co-operation on adaptation in the BENELUX countries has been ad hoc. For instance, in 2016 the BENELUX secretariat organised workshops on adaptation concerning the following sectors: transport, energy, health and crisis management. The expectation is that more formal transboundary cooperation will be established in the coming years. Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3. Current and projected climate change

3a. Observation systems are in place to monitor climate change, extreme climate events and their impacts Yes / In progress/ No Belgium has observation systems that allow for long-term monitoring of temperature, precipitation and sea level. This monitoring work is carried out by the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) and the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level. Climate impacts are monitored by the different organisations: ·Different climate impact studies have been performed for Belgium in the framework of CORDEX.be project on: extreme precipitation; maximum snow height; urban parameters for Brussels (including outdoor labour productivity, excess energy consumption and heat stress due to heat waves); agricultural crop performance and yield as well as biogenic emissions. ·Impacts on forests and nature: by Brussels Environment, Walloon Observatory of Forest Health and the Research Institute for Nature and Forest in Flanders. ·Impacts on the oceans: the Flemish Hydrography and Royal Institute of Natural Sciences. ·Impact on water: flood, water quality and drought – Flanders Hydraulics Research, the Flemish water managers, the Walloon Waterways, the Walloon Flood Portal, Brussels Environment, Royal Institute of Natural Sciences. Impact on extreme precipitation, heat waves, and droughts is collected by the RMI. In 2015, the RMI published “Vigilance climatique”. In 2015 the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM) published the ‘MIRA Climate Report 2015: About observed and future climate changes in Flanders and Belgium’. The indicators from the report are regularly updated on their website. Due to the dry conditions in Flanders, the VMM published a report on drought based on hydrological and meteorological indicators in June 2017. Since 1992 the EM-DAT database has recorded the number of victims (deaths and affected persons) of natural disasters in Belgium. Indicators are developed by the Federal Planning Bureau.To conclude, observation systems for many climate impacts are in place, however, they sometimes are fragmentary and not always available for the whole of Belgium. 3b. Scenarios and projections are used to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change, taking into account geographical specificities and best available science (e.g. in response to revised IPCC assessments) Yes/ In progress/ No While Belgium does not formally have a national climate centre, the CORDEX.be project (Combining regional downscaling expertise in Belgium: CORDEX and Beyond 2015-2017) provided a platform for data exchange and communication among the Belgian climate modelling groups. CORDEX.be makes use of the most recent IPCC scenarios (2014). All impact assessments rely on these models. In the context of the CORDEX.be project, a wide range of climate model simulations have been performed that are collected on the CORDEX.be data hub at the RMI and will serve as the basis of future impact studies. The model simulations are thoroughly validated by comparison with past observations and GNSS-derived products. 3c. Sound climate risks/vulnerability assessments for priority vulnerable sectors are undertaken to support adaptation decision making Yes/ In progress/ No The NAP provides sound climate risk and vulnerability assessments for 11 key sectors: agriculture, coastal areas, fishery, spatial planning and infrastructure, forests, biodiversity, energy, health, water management, tourism, industry and services. The assessments indicate the types and intensity of climate impacts on these sectors by a colour gradation from green to red (opportunity to threat). The assessment is carried out in a qualitative way and provides climate impact information for the periods 2030, 2050 and 2085 within wet, mean and dry scenarios. The assessment is the combination of the results of the different climate impact assessments carried out by the regional governments and impact studies at federal level. In addition, the Flemish Environment Agency has published a climate assessment report in 2015 and the research report on indicators for urban heat island effect in Flanders. 3d. Climate risks/vulnerability assessments take transboundary risks into account, when relevant Yes/ In Progress/ No Taking into account transboundary risks is not yet common practice in climate risk and vulnerability assessments in Belgium. It is mainly in the field of flood risk management where progress has been made, primarily as a result of joint projects. One of the examples is the Interreg AMICE project for which scientists from France, Belgium and the Netherlands have built a transnational scenario to evaluate climate impacts with regards to flood risks in the Meuse river basin. Another example is the ENDURE Interreg project, which aims to improve the adaptive capacity by focusing on the protection of sand dunes in the 2 Seas area. Furthermore, the Flemish drought and water scarcity indicator also considers risks of upstream parts of the international basins.

4. Knowledge gaps 4a. Work is being carried out to identify, prioritise and address the knowledge gaps Yes/ In progress/ No Research for better understanding is part of the Belgian adaptation policy. Knowledge gaps are addressed by: 1)Conventional research funding organisations. Knowledge gaps are mentioned in a general way but researchers have some freedom to determine the focus of their research. The Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) financed several projects on climate impacts and adaptation through the former ‘Science for a Sustainable Development’ (SSD) programme. Topics and sector-specific domains of interest addressed include transport, hydrological events, surface water, coastal management, fisheries and health. Several research projects have been launched to increase knowledge of climate impacts and adaptation through the BRAIN-be program me. In 2014, the call for project proposals by BELSPO included climate adaptation as one of its four priority themes. Special attention was directed to two research activities: understanding sectoral climate impacts, and developing policy decision-support tools that aim at evaluating the effects of climate change. The BRAIN-BE call in 2016 included a call for proposals for developing scientific support for the development of climate services. Unfortunately, no projects were selected for funding. In total five projects are funded in the framework of the ERA4CS Joint Call on Researching and Advancing Climate Services Development by (A) Advanced co-development with users (B) Institutional integration, linked to the JPI Climate (two cash-funded via BELSPO and three funded in kind via RMI). 2)Research and studies funded by the policy departments themselves. These studies are upon request and knowledge gaps are identified and specified. Examples of these studies are the study on climate proof spatial planning, or on the needs assessment for local authorities on climate adaptation planning. 3)A think tank consisting of academics and other experts on climate adaptation (Flanders only), which was subsidised by the Flemish government from 2015 – 2017 to develop and spread knowledge on adaptation across disciplines. Knowledge gaps were identified and addressed during meetings,. 5. Knowledge transfer 5a. Adaptation relevant data and information is available to all stakeholders, including policy makers (e.g. through a dedicated website or other comparable means). Yes/ In progress/ No Information that is useful for adaptation is available online and can be used by different types of stakeholders. In Flanders, there are portals with abundant adaptation-relevant information, including: ·An overview of Flemish adaptation policy ·Climate change information ·Support for local authorities. A climate portal will also soon be launched that includes geographical climate impact information at a detailed level for all Flemish municipalities. The main policy department in climate adaptation has initiated this data provision. In Wallonia, it is the Walloon Agency for Air & Climate (AWAC) that provides the online information to support adaptation. This information mainly aims at different sectors and at local authorities The Brussels Capital region offers information on its website mainly limited to the policy plan. At the federal level, the website provides information on climate change and climate adaptation policy at all levels as well as climate observations and impacts.

A dedicated national online platform is planned (with a committed budget) at the national level, as mentioned in the NAP. 5b. Capacity building activities take place; education and training materials on climate change adaptation concepts and practices are available and disseminated Yes/In progress/ No A limited number of specific education and training materials could be identified in the available sources of information. It is expected that the capacity building for public officers to develop adaptation plans will be developed in the near future in Flanders as well. The Flemish Region and some Flemish provinces have organised a number of annual conferences, aiming at climate practitioners to share their experiences on mitigation and adaptation. In addition, national conferences and roundtables are organised in a coordinated way by regional and federal governments to implement the NAP (Measure 4 ‘Strengthening sectoral coordination at national level’). The 1st Conference ‘Adaptation to Climate Change: What is the Situation in Belgium’ was organised in November 2017 and was attended by around one hundred people. Step C: Identifying adaptation options 6. Adaptation options’ identification 6a. Adaptation options address the sectoral risks identified in 3c, the geographical specificities identified in 3b and follow best practices in similar contexts Yes / No Relevant adaptation options for each sector in the national, the federal and regional adaptation plans were selected on the basis of sound sectoral risk and vulnerability assessments. The options were identified by expert judgement of the relevant policy departments. Besides sectoral adaptation options, the regional, federal and national adaptation plans also mentioned ‘horizontal’ adaptation options like research, international collaboration and transversal affairs. These adaptation options result from ambitions to better coordinate adaptation actions and are related to identified adaptation needs. 6b. The selection of priority adaptation options is based on robust methods (e.g. multi-criteria analyses, stakeholders' consultation, etc.) and consistent with existing decision-making frameworks Yes / No The selection of priority adaptation options for the NAP is the result of an extensive process. It was based on an analysis of the measures contained in the adaptation plans (three regions and the Federal Government) with the aim to identify the gaps and/or the opportunities for synergies. It was also based on the EU adaptation framework (particularly the EU Adaptation Strategy and its accompanying documents), and a study exploring potential national adaptation actions to be implemented jointly by the federal and regional authorities. The WGA of the NCC identified a set of measures based on this analysis. The relevance and feasibility of the measures were analysed in consultation with the relevant sectoral experts, according to criteria, such as the opportunity for implementation (focusing on the integration of adaptation into planned sectoral projects/process), the national added-value (i.e. the extent of benefits for all four entities) and the urgency of action. 6c. Mechanisms are in place to coordinate disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and to ensure coherence between the two policies Yes/ In progress / No There is some evidence available on coordination mechanisms between the authorities dealing with disaster risk management and adaptation policies. There has been increased coordination in the context of the Federal contribution to the NAP, as the Federal Government is in charge of crisis and emergency management. Belgium fostered better coordination between disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation by gathering the regional and federal crisis centre, adaptation experts, and climate services scientists in September 2017. Future coordination will build on the work realized in the framework of the cordex.be project and will look further into how to mainstream climate change in disaster risk prevention and management. This would be in line with implementation of Measure 11 of the NAP and Measure 5 of the Federal contribution to the NAP.

A national platform for disaster risk reduction (Sendaï platform) was established in 2016 (coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). 7. Funding resources identified and allocated 7a. Funding is available to increase climate resilience in vulnerable sectors and for cross-cutting adaptation action Yes / In Progress / No A dedicated budget is not attached to the NAS. Funding for climate adaptation is available at all levels within existing governmental budgets. For 2017 and 2018, the NCC foresaw a dedicated budget for the implementation of the NAP. The NAP actions are generally horizontal and, therefore, the budget is not dedicated to one specific sector but every sector can benefit from these measures (e.g. the budget to develop a web platform on adaptation where every sector will be integrated). The sectoral adaptation actions have to be financed by each of the relevant policy departments and need to be included in the annual department budget. Although there is no evidence of multi-annual funding for climate adaptation, the different governments allocate a part of their budget to implementing adaptation measures. For instance, in 2017, Flanders and Wallonia funded impact assessments and the development of adaptation support tools to help local authorities. Flanders funded the development of climate scenarios and assess climate impacts. In addition, there was a think tank in Flanders on adaptation, financed by the Department of Environment and Spatial Development to bring together expertise. The Federal Government has funded an impact assessment study as well as research projects (via BELSPO). There appears to be no climate adaptation funding in the Brussels Capital region. Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8. Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 8a. Consideration of climate change adaptation has been included in the national frameworks for environmental impact assessments Yes / No At the federal level, the need for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was established in law on 13 February 2006. The Federal Government has provided guidance on SEA via its website, since October 2017, in order to ensure that assessments address climate adaptation. At the Flemish level, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2014/52/EU was transposed into law via the Decree of 3 February 2017. Consequently, climate adaptation is considered in EIA. In the Walloon region and Brussels-Capital region, the former EU directive 2011/92/UE is still used to guide EIA, so climate change is not yet always considered in practice. 8b. Prevention/preparedness strategies in place under national disaster risk management plans take into account climate change impacts and projections Yes/ No Disaster risk management is a shared responsibility between the local, provincial and federal levels. Disaster risk management plans do not include direct reference to climate change. The NAP includes a measure for the 2018 risk analysis to include consideration of climate impacts in order to revise the disaster risk management plans . Specific plans for the protection of critical infrastructure, as well as specific emergency management plans for floods , heat waves and forest fires, do consider climate change to a certain extent. 8c. Key land use, spatial planning, urban planning and maritime spatial planning policies take into account the impacts of climate change Yes/ No Climate change is not yet completely integrated in land use, spatial planning, urban planning and maritime planning. However, there are a few policy instruments implemented in spatial planning in Flanders that aim to avoid new developments in flood risk areas (e.g. the ‘watertoets’ and the ‘Signaalgebieden’ in Flanders). However, these policy instruments are based on current flood risk information rather than flood risks arising from climate change. Climate change is mentioned in maritime spatial planning. It is being taken into account throughout the planning process and has led to specific spatial decisions directly or indirectly related to climate change, e.g. the designation of a zone for a test island for coastal protection and the designation of additional zones for offshore renewable energy. In addition, climate change is included in EIA. Regional forestry policy instruments (e.g. the Walloon forest code, the Flanders forestry policy and the Brussels forest plans) aim to enhance the climate resilience of forests. Some major water and flood management initiatives with land-use implications consider climate change (e.g. the Walloon Plan PLUIES and the Flemish SIGMA plan). However, no guidance related to climate proofing of buildings has been found.

8d. National policy instruments promote adaptation at sectoral level, in line with national priorities and in areas where adaptation is mainstreamed in EU policies Yes/ In progress/ No The NAS, the federal contribution to the NAP and the regional adaptation plans promote the mainstreaming of climate change in different policy sectors. Evidence of mainstreaming in sectors is reported in the 7th National Communication report across many sectors, including water management, coastal areas, biodiversity, agriculture, forests, fishing, infrastructure and urban environment, transport, tourism, health, industry and services, energy, and disaster risk management. The policy instruments are diverse, ranging from an information campaign to encourage water savings to integrating climate change in the coastal safety master plan to encouraging farmer actions via climatic agri-environmental measures. The NAS (2010) has been the sole driver of mainstreaming climate adaptation in these sectors. 8e. Adaptation is mainstreamed in insurance or alternative policy instruments, where relevant, to provide incentives for investments in risk prevention Yes/ No The draft federal contribution to the NAP contains provisions to foster the consideration of climate risks in insurance and guarantee schemes, and to support the productive sectors in considering and addressing climate impacts and adaptation. However, this measure was not retained in the final version (‘Federal Contribution to the NAP’) adopted by the Federal Council of Ministers. Incorporating climate change in the insurance sector is also an ambition of the Flemish Adaptation Plan. However, the progress report, indicated that the insurance sector is not yet willing to include climate change in their products due to lack of a legal framework. No evidence was found of other incentives for investments in risk prevention. 9. Implementing adaptation 9a. Adaptation policies and measures are implemented, e.g. as defined in action plans or sectoral policy documents Yes /In progress/ No The NAS as well as the federal contribution to the NAP and the regional adaptation plans, have listed adaptation measures and actions. These actions are mainly defined by sectors and are implemented by the respective policy departments. There are also some overarching horizontal adaptation actions listed like carrying out research, and establishing transnational cooperation. Many of the adaptation actions are being implemented sectorally, i.e. in relation to water management, coastal areas, biodiversity, agriculture, forests, fishing, infrastructure and urban environment, transport, tourism, health, industry & services, energy and disaster risk management. Examples of adaptation actions include: awareness raising on the importance of healthy soils; connecting nature areas; setting up a centre of excellence on adaptation; considering climate change when restoring. At the federal level, the adaptation actions have been implemented since 2016, so are in progress, as was planned. At the Flemish level, implementation of adaptation actions started in 2013 and most actions are in progress, as was planned. At the Walloon level, implementation of adaptation actions started in 2016 and most actions are in progress, as was planned. In the Brussels Capital region, implementation of adaptation actions started in 2016. At the national level, implementation started in 2017. There are some adaptation actions that emerged autonomously and were implemented even before the adaptation plans were developed, like the SIGMA plan in Flanders in 2005 or Plan PlUIES in Wallonia in 2003. In addition to the adaptation measures in the NAP, there are also some provinces and cities that have listed adaptation measures that will soon be implemented. 9b. Cooperation mechanisms in place to foster and support adaptation at relevant scales (e.g. local, subnational) Yes/ No

Cooperation mechanisms at provincial and local levels are under development in Flanders and Wallonia. These are the regions that could benefit most from these cooperation mechanisms. The cooperation is being formalised in the Walloon. In Flanders, the cooperation mechanism is provided by an adaptation support tool that was developed by the Flemish government with a pilot group of local authorities in order to support local authorities in the development of their adaptation plans. This support tool includes: ·A climate atlas that reveals the most vulnerable areas in Flanders ·A tool to explore adaptation measures; and ·Good practices about climate adaptation. In the Walloon region, a comparable adaptation support tool for local authorities is available. The Walloon region has recently signed a commitment to be a territorial coordinator of the Covenant of Mayors. Cooperation is, therefore, emphasized in a more formal way. Several workshops have been organized to present the tools available for the cities in the framework of the POLLEC Programme. This programme supports cities to develop action plans for the Covenant of Mayors. Wallonia also has more ad hoc cooperation, like the workshops organised in the framework of the Flood Directive and the elaboration of the flood risk management plans. These workshops were organised to disseminate information to cities, provinces and other actors in charge of the flood risk management the Walloon region. The adaptation tool for cities has been presented during these workshops. Some provinces are planning to coordinate adaptation with the local authorities. However, as yet, no formalized coordination group has been established. 9c. Procedures or guidelines are available to assess the potential impact of climate change on major projects or programmes, and facilitate the choice of alternative options, e.g. green infrastructure Yes/ No Measure 9 of the Federal contribution to the NAP is a cross-sectoral measure that foresaw mainstreaming of climate adaptation in the development of federal policies. This measure has been implemented through: ·Integration of adaptation in the analysis procedure for regulation (the so-called AIR – ‘analyse d’impact de legislation’) as well as in the manual for impact analysis for regulation. ·Development of guidelines to promote better integration of climate mitigation and adaptation (and biodiversity) in SEA and EIA in the North Sea. The guidelines were published in October 2017. A (general) reference to the guidelines has been made in the Belgian EIA regulation for activities in the North Sea (Royal Decree of 9 September 2003). The existing guidelines for SEA will be updated according to the guidance. Flanders has already developed guidelines to consider climate in EIA. 9d. There are processes for stakeholders' involvement in the implementation of adaptation policies and measures. Yes / No Many of the adaptation plans are government-driven. Stakeholders have a limited role in the implementation of adaptation measures and are involved on an ad hoc basis, depending on the adaptation measure considered. Although it is proposed that measures to address climate impacts should be taken up by the private sector, there does not seem to be any public-private cooperation. Step E: Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation activities

10. Monitoring, reporting and evaluation. 10a. NAS/NAP implementation is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes/ No Monitoring implementation of adaptation policy takes place every two to four years at the national level. The WGA monitors the progress of implementation in a qualitative way by listing actions that are carried out by the different policy departments. The monitoring indicators that are described in the different adaptation plans are used as guidance. Allocated budgets and other financial information are not monitored. The National Climate Commission integrates monitoring results into the National Communication report. Monitoring has been taking place since 2015, as part of the National Communication report. Results were disseminated in the 6th National Communication (2015-2016) and in the 7th National Communication (2017-2018), and are accessible amongst others via the national website and the federal website. A workshop for French-speaking technical staff working on climate adaptation in Africa was co-organised by Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, FAO and UNDP (Cluster Francophone) in May 2018 in Couala (Cameroun). The focus was on monitoring and evaluation of adaptation measures. 10b. The integration of climate change adaptation in sectoral policies is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes / No The monitoring results in National Communications are organised according to sectoral policies. However, the monitoring of the NAP is not specified per sector. Nevertheless, at the Flemish level, the different policy sectors report on a bi-annual basis on the progress of their adaptation actions. The first progress report was published for the period 2013-2015. The second report for the period 2015-2017 was approved in March 2018. At the federal level, in the framework of the federal law on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), sectoral departments of the federal authority have to report on the implementation of their respective adaptation measures (taken or planned), particularly the actions provided for in the federal contribution to the NAP. Monitoring addresses the main objectives, the climate impact category targeted, the planned and allocated budgets, the degree of implementation and, to the extent possible, indicators (the Royal Decree implementing the Law is not published yet). At the level of the Walloon and the Brussels Capital region, no evidence was found of how climate adaptation is monitored in sectoral policies. 10c. Regional-, sub-national or local action is monitored and the results of the monitoring are disseminated Yes/No There is no systematic monitoring mechanism to collect and disseminate information on progress with the implementation of adaptation actions at the provincial or local levels. 11. Evaluation 11a. A periodic review of the national adaptation strategy and action plans is planned Yes/No A mid-term evaluation of the NAP will take place in 2018 and a final evaluation in 2020. This timing is aligned with the periodic National Communication and the development of the next NAP. Indicators identified in the NAP will be used in the evaluations. The mid-term evaluation will assess the progress of implementation and evaluate strengths and weaknesses. The final evaluation will mainly focus on identifying remaining gaps with regard to adaptation actions., The regional level will contribute to the evaluation. The federal level has specified in the Federal Contribution to the NAP that an evaluation will take place to assess coherence between actions in the NAP and actions taken at the federal level.

11b. Stakeholders are involved in the assessment, evaluation and review of national adaptation policy Yes/No No specific information on external stakeholder involvement in the monitoring, evaluation or review of the adaptation strategies or plans was found. It is expected that assessment, evaluation and review will be undertaken by the actors involved in the WGA and respective regional platforms.

SUMMARY TABLE Adaptation Preparedness Scoreboard No. Indicator Met? Step A: Preparing the ground for adaptation 1 Coordination structure 1a A central administration body officially in charge of adaptation policy making Yes / No 1b Horizontal (i.e. sectoral) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, with division of responsibilities Yes / In Progress / No 1c Vertical (i.e. across levels of administration) coordination mechanisms exist within the governance system, enabling lower levels of administration to influence policy making. Yes / In Progress / No 2 Stakeholders’ involvement in policy development 2a A dedicated process is in place to facilitate stakeholders' involvement in the preparation of adaptation policies Yes / No 2b Transboundary cooperation is planned to address common challenges with relevant countries Yes / No Step B: Assessing risks and vulnerabilities to climate change 3 Current and projected climate change 3a Observation systems are in place to monitor climate change, extreme climate events and their impacts Yes / In progress / No 3b Scenarios and projections are used to assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change, taking into account geographical specificities and best available science (e.g. in response to revised IPCC assessments) Yes / In progress / No 3c Sound climate risks/vulnerability assessments for priority vulnerable sectors are undertaken to support adaptation decision making. Yes / In progress / No 3d Climate risks/vulnerability assessments take transboundary risks into account, when relevant Yes / In progress / No 4 Knowledge gaps 4a Work is being carried out to identify, prioritise and address the knowledge gaps Yes / In progress / No 5 Knowledge transfer 5a Adaptation relevant data and information is available to all stakeholders, including policy makers (e.g. through a dedicated website or other comparable means). Yes / In progress / No 5b Capacity building activities take place; education and training materials on climate change adaptation concepts and practices are available and disseminated Yes / In progress / No Step C: Identifying adaptation options 6 Identification of adaptation options 6a Adaptation options address the sectoral risks identified in 3c, the geographical specificities identified in 3b and follow best practices in similar contexts Yes / No 6b The selection of priority adaptation options is based on robust methods (e.g. multi-criteria analyses, stakeholders' consultation, etc.) and consistent with existing decision-making frameworks Yes / No 6c Mechanisms are in place to coordinate disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and to ensure coherence between the two policies Yes/ In Progress / No 7 Funding resources identified and allocated 7a Funding is available to increase climate resilience in vulnerable sectors and for cross-cutting adaptation action Yes / In Progress / No Step D: Implementing adaptation action 8 Mainstreaming adaptation in planning processes 8a Consideration of climate change adaptation has been included in the national frameworks for environmental impact assessments Yes / No 8b Prevention/preparedness strategies in place under national disaster risk management plans take into account climate change impacts and projections Yes / No 8c Key land use, spatial planning, urban planning and maritime spatial planning policies take into account the impacts of climate change Yes / No 8d National policy instruments promote adaptation at sectoral level, in line with national priorities and in areas where adaptation is mainstreamed in EU policies Yes / In Progress / No 8e Adaptation is mainstreamed in insurance or alternative policy instruments, where relevant, to provide incentives for investments in risk prevention Yes / No 9 Implementing adaptation 9a Adaptation policies and measures are implemented, e.g. as defined in action plans or sectoral policy documents Yes / In Progress / No 9b Cooperation mechanisms in place to foster and support adaptation at relevant scales (e.g. local, subnational) Yes / No 9c Procedures or guidelines are available to assess the potential impact of climate change on major projects or programmes, and facilitate the choice of alternative options, e.g. green infrastructure Yes / No 9d There are processes for stakeholders' in