Regional Climate Resilience and Adaptation Pathways: Lessons Learnt and Policy insights from on the ground experience
17. June 13:30-15:15
Room 1
Across Europe, local and regional authorities are facing increasingly complex climate risks, from heatwaves and droughts to floods and wildfires, while balancing economic development, social cohesion and environmental protection. When extreme events occur, they often stand in the frontline. Yet a key question remains: how can climate resilience strategies move beyond plans and become embedded in everyday governance, investment decisions, and policy development and implementation?
This workshop invites participants to engage in a structured dialogue around key building blocks of the climate resilience journey: moving from the WHY (setting just transition values) to the WHAT (providing enabling systems and governance), and from the WHEN (structuring and sequencing adaptation pathways) to the HOW (implementing and sharing learnings with each other). The fifth table, as a core and cross-cutting element, will focus on how EU insights can inform regional adaptation pathways, and the other way around.
The session will invite participants to join one thematic table to share experiences, explore approaches and discuss barriers and enabling conditions, before coming back together to collectively reflect on the various building blocks. Discussions will be facilitated by experts from various European initiatives working with regions (Regions4Climate, Pathways2Resilience, NBRACER, DesirMED, ARCADIA, EEA).
Speakers
Team Leader at Interregional Unit, INOVA+
Armando Alves, Team Leader at Interregional Unit, INOVA+
Armando currently works as a Team Leader at INOVA+, where he supports organisations such as public authorities and research organizations in the development of project proposals to European funding programs on a wide range of topics, including climate change adaptation, resilience, and territorial cooperation. His work also encompasses funding opportunities monitoring, project management, implementation and the development of interregional knowledge transfer activities amongst territories across Europe.
Armando holds a degree and a master's in Environmental Sciences and Technologies from the University of Porto, with a specialisation in Ecology and Natural Resource Management, and a post-graduation in Environmental Economics and Management Studies. He is currently a PhD candidate in Public Policy, focusing on environmental public policies and decision-making processes.
Planning & Enhacement of the Territory, Cávado Intermunicipal Community
Joana Peixoto, Planning & Enhacement of the Territory, CÁvado Intermunicipal Community
Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Planning and a postgraduate qualification in Urban Engineering.
Project Manager for Structural Funds with 20 years’ experience – QCA III, QREN, PT 2020, PT 2030 and PRR.
Head of a multidisciplinary team in the field of Planning & Enhacement of the Territory. Extensive experience in project management in the fields of Tourism, Culture, the Environment and Civil Protection.
Policy Officer - Adaptation Mission Secretariat, European Commission
Dr. Sophie Berger, Policy Officer - Adaptation Mission Secretariat, European Commission
Sophie Berger is a Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. She is part of the Secretariat of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, a joint initiative of DG Climate Action and DG Research & Innovation that supports regions and local authorities in accelerating climate resilience and adaptation efforts across Europe.
Sophie holds a PhD in climate science and previously worked with Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), contributing to scientific assessments of climate change. Her work focuses on bridging climate science, policy and implementation to support effective adaptation action at regional and local levels.
Head of Climate Department, North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency
Miljenko Sedlar, Head of Climate Department, North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency
Miljenko Sedlar is a climate resilience expert and Head of the Climate Department at REGEA, specializing in adaptation strategies, risk assessments, and innovative financing for climate action. With a background in ecological engineering, he has extensive experience across industry and public administration, including leading EU-funded projects in the City of Zagreb. Since 2018, he has driven climate initiatives at REGEA. Miljenko actively contributes to EU, national, regional, and local climate policies, serves on European Commission working groups, and is a member of the advisory board of the UK National Adaptation Hub and the coordinator of the Adaptation Hubs project. He promotes a holistic, systemic approach to resilience and transformational adaptation, integrating science, policy, and practice.
Moderators
Senior Scientist, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
Dr. Carmen AntuÑa Rozado, Senior Scientist, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
As an architect specialized in Urban Planning and Design, with a PhD focusing on "Effective local adaptation of sustainable city solutions to different contexts around the world", I have 25 years of experience in national and international R&D projects where I have collaborated with partners from all over the world. My current research focuses on nature-based solutions (NBS), systemic decision support tools for sustainable cities and communities, and climate-resilient communities. Through my involvement in EU projects, I have often collaborated with cities and regions, contributing to relevant demonstration and pilot cases that bring theoretical concepts to life. Having also completed Executive MBA studies, I am deeply interested in linking business and innovation for sustainable development.
Expert, Climate Risk and Resilience, European Environment Agency
Luca Arbau, Expert, Climate Risk and Resilience, European Environment Agency
Luca Arbau is an architect and climate change adaptation practitioner, currently working as an Expert in Climate Risks and Resilience at the European Environment Agency. He co-leads policy analysis for the upcoming European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA-2). Before joining the Agency, Luca worked with ICLEI Europe, supporting cities and regions in implementing the EU Mission on Adaptation and the Covenant of Mayors - Europe’s work on climate adaptation.
He holds a Master’s degree in International Cooperation and Emergency Architecture from the International University of Catalonia (Spain) and a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Ferrara (Italy).
Project Co-Lead, Climate Resilient Regions, Climate KIC
Angèle Tasse, Project Co-Lead, Climate Resilient Regions, Climate KIC
Angèle works for Climate KIC, Europe's leading climate innovation agency and community, where she coordinates projects on NbS and regional climate resilience. With a double background in biology and public policy, she previously worked across international organisations, city networks and the private sector on international projects and policies, with a focus on sustainable food systems. Angèle is passionate about the power of subnational governments in accelerating climate action.
Senior Advisor Climate Resilient Regions, Climate KIC
Thomas Koetz, Senior Advisor Climate Resilient Regions, Climate KIC
Thomas Koetz is an expert in sustainability transitions, climate resilience, biodiversity, and science-policy interfaces, with two decades of experience across the European Commission, the UN system, and leading innovation organisations. He is Senior Advisor for Climate Resilient Regions at Climate-KIC, where he coordinates the €30 million Horizon Europe project Pathways2Resilience, helping 100 regions design adaptation pathways and investment plans. Previously, Thomas played a central role in shaping and implementing the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change at DG Research & Innovation, and earlier served in DG Environment on international biodiversity policy. Before returning to the Commission, he led the first IPBES work programme at UN Environment, overseeing landmark global assessments. Thomas holds a PhD in science-policy interfaces, a Master’s in ecological economics, and a Master’s in landscape ecology, complemented by extensive fieldwork in Latin America and Asia.
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki
Dr. Julia Tuomimaa, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki
She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences and an MSc in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability from the University of Helsinki. Her research focuses on climate change adaptation assessment, with a particular emphasis on urban heat risk and indicator-based approaches. Her current work explores the monitoring of nature-based solutions in cities, the conceptualization of adaptation outcomes within urban digital twins, and the operationalization of adaptation effectiveness through dynamic adaptation policy pathways.
Senior Expert, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn Centre
Dr. Heidi Tuhkanen, Senior Expert, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn Centre
Heidi Tuhkanen is a Senior Expert at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Tallinn, working on climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, urban and regional resilience, and just sustainability transitions. Her work focuses on how cities and regions can strengthen governance, planning and stakeholder engagement to support more inclusive and effective climate action. Heidi has contributed to several European and international projects on adaptation, resilience and nature-based solutions, including work on local engagement methods, vulnerability, policy analysis and multi-level governance.
Senior Researcher, Demos Helsinki
Dr. Johannes Klein, Senior Researcher, Demos Helsinki
Johannes Klein works as Senior Researcher at the globally operating, non-profit and independent think tank Demos Helsinki. He works on climate change adaptation with a focus on the governance of adaptation in an urban and regional context.
With his work he contributes to just, transformative, and inclusive adaptation action.
Being trained as an environmental engineer and with a PhD in Land Use Planning and Urban Studies, he feels at home in academic research, interdisciplinary work, and hands-on activities.
He is currently actively involved in the EU Adaptation Mission projects Regions4Climate and FairFuture.