Celebrating More than Two Years of the EU Mission Adaptation Community

On 25 November, the EU Mission Adaptation Community held an online event to celebrate two years of collaboration, learning, and shared progress. The session brought together regions and local authorities, Mission Projects, Member States, National Contact Points and EU institutions to reflect on past achievements and to look ahead to how the Community might evolve in the future.

Over the past two years, the Community has grown into a dynamic network of over 750 members, facilitating important knowledge exchange between some of Europe’s leading climate adaptation practitioners. The Community has delivered an extensive programme of activities, including more than 35 thematic and training sessions, three matchmaking events, and two full cycles of a peer learning programme. Across all formats, the Community has welcomed over 3,100 participants, demonstrating strong demand for shared knowledge and collaboration.

A key milestone has been the provision of targeted Technical Assistance to more than 160 regions and local authorities, supporting them with strategy development, project preparation, citizen engagement and access to funding opportunities. Feedback received underscored the value of this tailored approach, helping authorities move faster and with greater confidence in their adaptation planning.

The Community has also strengthened its role as a knowledge hub, offering tools and resources through MIP4Adapt, including:

• DIY Manual – A practical guide designed to help regions and local authorities engage communities and stakeholders throughout the adaptation planning process.
• Tools Database – A curated collection of reliable, up-to-date adaptation tools, searchable by impact, sector, scale or user needs, each with a concise summary of its purpose, applications and strengths.
• Funding & Financing Guide – An overview of funding pathways for adaptation, from grants to innovative finance, offering practical insights to improve readiness and support well-informed financial decisions.
• Activity Report – The Mission’s annual report captures progress, insights and results from across Europe, showcasing how regions and local authorities are advancing climate resilience through shared learning, tailored support and on-the-ground solutions.
• Online Community of Practice – A collaborative space where regions, cities, Mission Projects and EU institutions exchange knowledge, coordinate activities and strengthen adaptation action across Europe.

Meanwhile, the seven Thematic Working Groups, spanning topics such as Climate Services, Transformational Adaptation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Financing Climate Adaptation (second output), Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement, Integrating Adaptation and Mitigation, and Climate Adaptation Platforms (CAPs), have produced joint outputs and facilitated closer cooperation among Mission Projects.

A growing library of Adaptation Stories and Mission Success Stories further illustrates the breadth of climate risks and the range of solutions emerging across Europe, from urban cooling and nature restoration to disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure.

The breakout discussions during the event highlighted the Community’s strongest assets: peer learning, practical knowledge exchange, and the chance to hear directly from regions and projects facing similar challenges. Participants emphasised the value of sharing concrete examples, strengthening monitoring and evaluation practices, and consolidating insights across Mission Projects to better support local adaptation efforts. They also underlined the importance of focused TWGs and continued opportunities for collaboration.

Two years on, the Mission Community of Practice continues to show how shared learning, cooperation and coordinated action can accelerate climate resilience across Europe.

Disclaimer
The contents and links to third-party items on this Mission webpage are developed by the MIP4Adapt team led by Ricardo, under contract CINEA/2022/OP/0013/SI2.884597 funded by the European Union and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, CINEA, or those of the European Environment Agency (EEA) as host of the Climate-ADAPT Platform. Neither the European Union nor CINEA nor the EEA accepts responsibility or liability arising out of or in connection with the information on these pages.