Baltadapt Strategy for adaptation to climate change in the Baltic Sea region. A proposal preparing the ground for political endorsement throughout the Baltic Sea region

The overriding aim of the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) strategy for adaptation to climate is a connected region with informed actors on all levels responding to climate change in a way that ensures prosperity, competiveness, as well as clean water, and rich and healthy wildlife. The strategy aims to ensure that the region can adapt to climate change in an integrated way, with consideration to prosperity, competiveness, risk handling, and resilience of environmental systems and societies. The strategy builds on strengthening co-operation and information sharing through mainstreaming climate adaptation as a horizontal action in the Action Plan of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). It aims to assist stakeholders and policy makers to achieve a common view of adaptation needs and actions for various sectors, with recognition to regional differences in natural and societal conditions. When in compliance with EU priorities and positions, also involvement of non-EU countries will be encouraged. The strategy is based on already existing cooperation and networks on all levels for which climate adaptation is relevant, with links to EU, national and local climate adaptation strategies and action plans. The objective of the strategy is to, through BSR cooperation; facilitate implementation of local, national and EU climate adaptation strategies and action plans. This will be made by clustering and coordination of existing initiatives, as well as on promotion of new initiatives.