The 5th Environment and Local World Forum hosted the launch event of the Life eCOadapt50 project on adaptation to climate change in 19 territories of Catalonia, coordinated by the Barcelona Provincial Council Climate Action Department.
The Climate Action Department of Barcelona Provincial Council has organised the 5th Environment and Local World Forum, the meeting point for public and private actors to explore future areas of action in the field of local sustainability. The Forum took place from 28 February to 1 March 2023 at the TecnoCampus Mataró. The event was used as an opportunity to present the project Life eCOadapt50, which continues the strategic co-creation under way for adaptation to climate change and extends the action of Life Clinomics. This latter European project for adaptation to climate change was implemented between 2016 and 2020 in Les Terres de L’Ebre, L’Alt Penedès and Montseny Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve, also under the leadership of the Barcelona Provincial Council Climate Action Department. Life eCOadapt50 takes the knowledge and experience acquired with Life Clinomics to boost action in other areas of Catalonia. With a budget of 19 million euros, 60% co-financed by the European Commission’s Life programme and 40% by the 24 public and private partners involved, Life eCOadapt50 plans to implement a minimum of 76 actions from 2023 to 2030 in four economic activities particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change: agriculture, livestock farming, forestry, fisheries and tourism. It will do so in 19 areas of Catalonia, which represent 60% of Catalonia’s surface area (around 19,400 km2) and involve a third of their population, more than 900,000 inhabitants.
At the project’s launch event, the Counsellor for Climate Action, Xesco Gomar, pointed out that Life eCOadapt50 “is fully consistent with our organisation’s climate policy. It is aligned with the Climate Plan and with the sustainable energy and climate plans of 227 municipalities in the province, which incorporate a local action plan.”