Date of label : 29/10/2024
A group of people coming together to plant trees and improve their local green space.
Summary
The climate adaptation fund AdaptCascais promotes climate change adaptation through a citizen-led set of actions linked to the local Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan of Cascais (PT). This fund favours the most vulnerable communities, the use of existing technologies to boost the project’s impacts, and the sustainable use of local cultural and natural resources. All private organisations, associations, schools, and NGOs are eligible for funding, and each is evaluated in terms of creativity, potential impact, and community engagement. The project aims to raise the awareness of thousands of citizens who benefit from these climate adaptation actions.
The solutions offered by the Good Practice
The AdaptCascais fund addresses diverse urban challenges stemming from climate change, by focusing on local vulnerabilities and potential sources of resilience. It supports the Cascais Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan, which maps the risks and the impacts on the local communities.
The Fund prioritises proposed projects that:
- Reduce climate-related vulnerabilities in Cascais.
- Integrate good climate change adaptation practices.
- Involve local communities, and raise awareness and capacity to respond to extreme weather events.
- Promote the adoption of nature-based solutions, using ecosystem-based services whenever possible.
The application process for the Fund is completely transparent, and it follows a City Council-approved regulation.
In its first edition, the fund financed 8 projects involving 2 075 citizens and 163 actions including:
- Awareness-raising, communication and training campaigns.
- Engagement with schools.
- Environmental requalification to reduce vulnerabilities.
- Promotion and enhancement of green spaces with nature-based solutions.
- Water-saving initiatives.
The Fund was recognised as one of the 11 most sustainable in Europe by the RISE Cities programme of the Herbert Quandt Foundation.
Building on the sustainable and integrated urban approach
Climate action protects citizens, urban and surrounding areas, and cultural and natural heritage. Cascais’ policies assess climate impacts in detail, clearly showing the need to protect natural landscapes, coastal areas, and green spaces. These natural areas must be protected as they host biodiversity, including species important for the community's wellbeing, and supply ecosystem services vital for climate resilience.
Nature-based solutions have an increasingly important role to play in addressing these challenges, aligning with European, national, and local action plans. The AdaptCascais Fund favours projects that support these goals. As such, the first edition funded projects on riverbed restoration, forestation, green space design, and water conservation, as well as projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions involving waste reduction, recycling and reuse.
By implementing innovative, inclusive solutions, stakeholders demonstrate the economic benefits of climate risk reduction and resource savings.
Based on participatory approach
Local governments lead climate policies due to their broad range of responsibilities, but all stakeholders and citizens can engage in supporting climate change actions that affect everyone.
The AdaptCascais und is a pioneering effort to further the shared leadership, knowledge, and action on climate change. It provides technical and financial resources to organisations, such as schools, NGOs and residents’ associations, to help them develop projects which benefit everyone.
Any formal organisation is eligible for funding and support, irrespective of experience or complementary funding capacity. Each proposal is evaluated based on its creativity, impact, and level of community’s engagement.
The und helps local stakeholders overcome challenges, test ideas, and form partnerships. The Town Hall provides technical support, helping organisations overcome challenges, which safeguards investment and keeps motivation high, and also organises joint meetings for participants to share their experiences and knowledge.
What difference has it made?
The 2021 edition of the AdaptCascais und exceeded expectations, with twice as many applicants as available funding. All eight funded projects were successfully completed, delivering tangible impacts on community resilience. Both the support and financial models proved effective and replicable for any other public or private institution.
The project demonstrated the vital role civil society plays in local climate resilience, together with actions by local and national governments, research institutes and universities, and NGOs. Civil society has unmatched knowledge of local realities and vulnerabilities, while local and small organisations can quickly mobilise residents for action.
Before the establishment of the AdaptCascais fund, no organisation could actively take part in the shared implementation of a climate adaptation action plan. Now, everyone is invited and chosen by merit to co-create local resilience with the city.
Key impacts of the first edition of the fund:
- Citizens involved: 2 075.
- Social media reach: 337 000.
- Schools involved: 7.
- Actions completed: 163.
- Riverbed restoration: 1 150 m.
- Trees/bushes planted: 91.
- Waste collected: 380 kg.
- Plastic collected from sea: 6 000 kg.
- Water collected: 150 l.
Why this Good Practice should be transferred to other cities
The AdaptCascais fund promotes holistic solutions in line with the IPCC’s guidelines and European climate policy. Developed by Cascais Town Hall, it follows public regulations, and directly refers to international, European and national policies. This means that the project’s regulations, guidelines, and procedures can be easily replicated and adapted by any local, regional or national government, together with their stakeholders.
The project aligns with:
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 3 (Good health and wellbeing, SGD 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), SDG 13 (Climate action), SDG 14 (Life below water), and SDG 15 (Life on land).
- European Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.
Given the systemic nature of climate, all areas of city management must be considered to build resilience (e.g. environmental services, communication, health). These different fields can benefit from the Fund’s actions.
The project’s support and funding models, as well as the Fund's regulations, are easily replicated, with due adaptation to the new city's context.
Cascais has a translation of the regulation and detailed information in English to further the replication in any city in the world.
The AdaptCascais and team shared their practice within the BMW Foundation's RISE Cities Fellowship programme, where it was chosen as one of Europe’s 11 best sustainable practices. It has also been shared with other cities via conferences and bilateral meetings.
The project fosters the role of civil society in climate action, bridging the gap between decision-makers and citizens, which is a focus of the EU Horizon Mission for Climate Adaptation.