Adaptation to Climate Change in the Baltic Sea and Arctic Regions : Governance and policy tools across countries

• Main Authors: Berninger, Kati, Tiusanen, Maria, Tynkkynen, Oras
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Varsinais-Suomen ELY-keskus 2021
• Subjects: ilmastonmuutos; sopeutuminen; politiikka; hallinto; Itämeren alue; Arktinen alue; climate change; adaptation; governance; policy; Baltic Sea Region; Arctic Region; Arctic; Faroe Islands; Canada; Greenland; Norway; Arktis*; Climate change; Iceland
• Online Access: https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/181635

The objective of this study was to collect and synthesise information about climate adaptation policy and governance in the Baltic Sea and Arctic regions. The report also describes best practices from different countries that Finland could learn from and gives recommendations for Finland. The countries and territories included are Sweden, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway, Iceland, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Canada, and the USA. The report is based on a literature study on the situation of adaptation planning and coordination in the target countries and regions. Document review was complemented with interviews of national experts. Broadly speaking, western, bigger and Nordic countries as well as those that started early have more advanced adaptation policies and governance. The studied countries and regions show both similarities and differences in approaches. Five have both a national adaptation strategy and plan, two have only a strategy, and two have only a plan, and five do not have such a document yet. Some countries have integrated both mitigation and adaptation in the same strategy. On sectoral adaptation work, the approach differs from mandatory sectoral action plans to no separate sectoral adaptation documents at all. The most common approach in regional and local adaptation work is that subnational adaptation strategies are voluntary, but they are supported by projects. However, regional or local adaptation plans are obligatory in some countries. Countries use national adaptation strategies and action plans to set priorities. The processes for setting the priorities vary, but may involve inter-ministerial committees, expert working groups, stakeholder dialogues and public consultations. Priorities often cover different sectors and cross-cutting measures (e.g. information). Several countries want to integrate adaptation into existing processes and governance levels. The biggest challenges in adaptation policy cluster around three issues: the need to improve ...