OVERALL GOAL

The overall goal of the project is to improve climate resilience of vulnerable municipalities in Hungary by reducing their risks stemming from climate change. For this purpose, the proposal will offer testing, introducing and fostering the integration of sustainable ecosystem-based water management approaches into natural resources management strategies and land use planning practice of local governments. Additionally, the goal is to strengthen the coordination role of local municipalities in climate change adaptation planning and recognition of risks.

OBJECTIVES

1. To raise awareness and increase knowledge of decision makers at Hungarian local governments, relevant public administration bodies and economic actors about the impacts of climate change and about ecosystem-based natural water retention measures (NWRM) as a powerful tool to improve climate resilience. To adapt and disseminate to Hungarian municipalities and stakeholders the relevant knowledge from implemented NWRM pilot cases in Europe.

2. To test and demonstrate the practical applicability and viability of selected NWRMs in climate adaptation within the Hungarian natural, socio-economic and administrative context through developing and implementing prototypes of these measures on 5 pilot sites.

3. To disseminate the practical knowledge gained from the 5 test cases, and to foster the replication of the tested NWRM solutions for improved climate resilience in different locations within Hungary, both at local and regional scales. To build locally coordinated catchment partnerships around a joint vision and prepare plans for the upscaling of NWRM solutions to catchment level, involving stakeholders.

4. To build local capacity at the most vulnerable Hungarian municipalities in order to strengthen the coordinating and integrating role of local governments in mainstreaming ecosystem-based climate change adaptation measures into natural resources management strategies and spatial planning, and to enhance an enabling environment for them.

5. To create innovative and user-friendly smart IT tools for all Hungarian municipalities and other stakeholders that help them understanding and managing climate risks, support knowledge sharing and facilitate stakeholder mobilization.

6. To involve Hungarian local governments in national and European networks of mutual support and cooperation for climate change adaptation and mitigation.