In the Baltic Sea region, local and regional climate adaptation strategy development has been slower than expected and general barriers affecting climate adaptation implementation can be identified. The newly published report Overcoming barriers to climate adaptation provides information on the typical barriers that local authorities face in moving forward on climate adaptation. It also offers a tool that local authorities can use to identify their own barriers, and introduces a collection of resources to help actors move forward in overcoming the identified obstacles.

The report recognises eight different categories of obstacles that are relevant to the climate risk assessment process and offers a self-evaluation method for local authorities to understand current and/or expected barriers. It also offers resources such as guides and videos to help overcome the identified obstacles, aiming to provide different perspectives and inspiration. It also collects critical questions related to each category to act as a basis for discussion aimed at understanding the key topics behind the barriers.

The report was prepared by SEI Tallinn as a part of the Development of Guidelines on Integrated Climate Change and Disaster Risk Response Management Work Package (WP2) of the CASCADE project. The main objective of WP2 is to develop guidelines for local level public administration to achieve a common understanding, integrated and complex approach to risk management measures with the inclusion of climate change adaptation aspects.

Link to Overcoming barriers to climate adaptation

Link to CASCADE website