The Austrian Adaptation Platform Sabine McCallum, 19 June 2013

Austrian Adaptation Platform: Background Website on climate change and adaptation for Austria (online since 2009):  aims to inform the interested public and provide material relevant for Austria  has been developed as part of the participation process to accompany and support the development of the Austrian NAS/NAP  was created with only little budget (approx Euro for technical set-up) and few personal resources  has been substantially updated and revised in January 2013  financed by the Austrian Climate- and Energyfonds 2

3 Austrian Adaptation Platform: Content overview Main content on HOME Climate change in Austria Adaptation to climate change Austrian adaptation strategy Research on CCA Database: adaptation measures Links/Glossary/Newsletter

4 Austrian Adaptation Platform: Climate change in Austria Description of:  Observed trends  Future projections (including regional scale)  Impacts of climate change  Vulnerability to climate change Impact tables for various sectors

5 Austrian Adaptation Platform: Adaptation to climate change Description of:  Political context  Guiding principles for good adaptation  Possible adaptation options o Practical examples  Tools for adaptation o Guidance documents o Online-Tools Note: All sites provide links to further information

6 Austrian Adaptation Platform: Austrian adaptation strategy/plan Description of:  Content  Steps towards the Austrian NAS/NAP o Starting phase o Cooperation with science o Policy paper o Participation process  Background studies

7 Austrian Adaptation Platform: Database Database on adaptation activities:  Contains currently 330 examples  Is regularly updated with new research and practical examples  Provides search functions for o Sectors o Administrative level (Europe, Austria, Länder) o Biogeographic regions (e.g. Alpine space) o Research activity or practical example

8 Newsletter overview:  Target group: Policy makers, decision makers, interested public  Issued since 2011  2013/2014: 4-5 newsletter are planned Austrian Adaptation Platform: Newsletter

9 Newsletter content:  Politics  Science  Adaptation practice  Focal topic  Europe  News / Events Austrian Adaptation Platform: Newsletter

Challenges  Keeping website up to date requires substantial amount of human resources  challenge to guarantee regular maintenance  Financing is project-based and depends on external funding agencies  long-term planning is difficult  Number of people accessing website and single pages is unknown  users feedback would be helpful!  Difficult to present information in target-group-specific language  cooperation with PR and users? 10

Ideas Website is currently not designed as an interactive platform but rather as an information hub only However …  Several projects developing adaptation tools and guidance will be finalised 2013/14, e.g.: o Methods, tools and guidance for developing adaptation strategies at sub-national, regional and cities level (FAMOUS handbook) o Tools and guidance on how to effectively communicate climate change and adaptation (CCTalk!)  A brochure for the general public aiming at raising awareness about the NAS/NAP and providing practical tips for Austrian citizens will become available this summer All of this could be „translated“ online and set up to interact with potential users (e.g. by offering training and support, organising events with different target groups, designing online games, offering apps, setting up competitions for innovative approaches and good practices etc. 11

Linking to other platforms  Information and tools offered by other national platforms and Climate-ADAPT are already provided on the website  Most important for further interaction is to translate relevant parts of the website into English -> planned for autumn 2013  Exchange with other countries and the EC/EEA hosting web-platforms is key to make best use of synergies, avoid duplications (and thus reduce administrative and financial burden) and learn from each other  Joint activities to engage with users could potentially be envisaged (e.g. starting a competition on innovative adaptation at EU level and making use of all national platforms in place to broaden the target audience) 12

Contact & Information Sabine McCallum Head of Unit Environmental Impact Assessment and Climate Change T: +43-(0) / ‘National Adaptation Platforms’ experts meeting Copenhagen ■ 19 June 2013