South West Europe

Key messages

Climate change adaptation in the South West Europe (SUDOE) region is supported in several policies, strategies and funding programmes at the transnational level of governance. It is mainly addressed by Priority 1 of the EU Interreg South West Programme (2021-2027). This priority determines the EU co-funding of shared solutions for cross-border climate change challenges that require cooperation among organisations from different countries.
Under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention) climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation are addressed as cross-cutting issues by the North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy (NEAES, 2021) within strategic objectives 5, 10, 11 and 12.
South West Europe is partially covered by the Barcelona Convention and by the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP-MAP). Examples where climate change adaptation is considered are: the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD 2016-2025), the Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC), and the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM Protocol, 2008).
The SUDOE region includes the Pyrenees mountain area, where a Working Community of the Pyrenees (CTP) was established; the CPT funds the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory (OPCC).

Geographic scope

The South West transnational region covers the Southwestern territories of Europe. The cooperation area of the 2021-2027 Interreg Programme includes the southern regions of France, the entire territory of Spain (including the Balearic Islands and then territories of Melilla and Ceuta), mainland Portugal, and the Principality of Andorra. Compared to the previous programming period (2014-2020), the new transnational cooperation area only excluded the UK territory of Gibraltar*. A map comparing the old and new borders can be seen here.

* From the entry into force of the UK Withdrawal Agreement on 1 February 2020, content from the United Kingdom will no longer be updated on this website.

Region's countries:

France, Portugal, Spain, Andorra

Why climate change adaptation matters in the South West Europe region

The 2024 European Climate Risk Assessment has shown that the South West Europe region as part of Southern Europe is a hotspot for multiple climate risks: It is strongly affected by climate change through heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and flooding. Policies and measures coordinated across borders need to be taken to effectively make this transnational region climate resilient.

Policy framework

1. Transnational cooperation programme

The Interreg South West Programme (2021-2027) was approved by the Commission on 13 December 2022. The programme sets up four priorities in the South West region (SUDOE):

Priority 1: Preserve natural capital and strengthen adaptation to climate change in SUDOE

Priority 2: Promote social cohesion and territorial and demographic balance in SUDOE through innovation and transformation of the productive sectors
Priority 3: Promote social cohesion and territorial and demographic balance in SUDOE through social innovation, heritage enhancement and services
Priority 4: Strengthen the impact of SUDOE in the territories.

Climate change adaptation is explicitly covered by Priority 1 and its specific objective 2.4 (Promoting climate change adaptation and disaster risk prevention, resilience taking into account ecosystem based approaches). The Programme is expected to mitigate climate change impacts and improve forecasting, prevention and management of natural risks.

Actions relevant for adaptation are also encouraged through the other specific objectives of Priority 1, such as 2.7 (Increase the protection and conservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, also in urban areas, and decrease all forms of pollution) and 2.5 (Promote access to water and sustainable water management). Expected results include the reinforced resilience of ecosystems and decreased pressure on vulnerable water resource.

For the previous period (2014-2020), the INTERREG SUDOE supported climate change adaptation with its Priority 4 (Combating climate change), which was endowed with 12% of the overall programme funding (17.08 million Euros). This axis focused on management and prevention of climate change risks associated with the scarcity of water resources and high variability of rainfall, which increases the risk of intensifying of drought conditions, desertification, soil erosion, forest fires and flooding.

2. Macro-region strategies

3. International conventions and other cooperation initiatives

Some areas of the SUDOE region are included in the OSPAR ‘Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic’, specifically in Region IV - Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast. Under this convention, climate change (and ocean acidification) is addressed as a cross-cutting issue for knowledge generation, monitoring of impacts and design of management options aiming at increasing ecosystem resilience. France and Spain are also contracting parties of the Barcelona Convention, which covers the area of the entire Mediterranean Sea.

The SUDOE region includes the Pyrenees mountain area, which has a long tradition of cooperation between France, Spain and Andorra. The Working Community of the Pyrenees (CTP) was established in 1983 on the initiative of the Council of Europe to tackle common cross-border challenges in the fields of transports, education, research, cultural heritage and sustainable development, among others. The CTP responds to the territory’s challenges with its Pyrenean Strategy (2018-2024). It includes a specific axis on Climate Actions.

In 2010, the CTP funded the Pyrenean Climate Change Observatory (OPCC). It aims to monitor and understand the climate change phenomenon in the Pyrenees to support adaptation the territory. The OPCC platform includes a geoportal to access thematic maps. In 2018, the OPCC coordinated the publication “Climate change in the Pyrenees: impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation”, which s constitutes the most recent and complete knowledge base on climate change in the Pyrenees region.

4. Adaptation strategies and plans

The Pyrenean Climate Change Strategy was approved by the CTP’s Executive Committee in November 2021 and ratified by the seven CTP territory presidencies in December 2021. The strategy’s vision envisages a region resistant to the effects of climate change by 2050. It identifies five strategic goals: (1) Developing knowledge on the Pyrenean climate and its variability; (2) Sustainably managing biodiversity and natural resources when faced with the impacts of climate change and improving the associated ecosystem services; (3) Contributing to a fair climate and ecological transition, assisting the Pyrenean economy and population through this process; (4) Promoting territorial management that is compatible with the risks associated with climate change, ensuring territorial balance; (5) Contributing to knowledge-based coordination, cooperation, and governance, reinforcing awareness-raising, communication, and environmental education.

The draft Operational Plan of the Pyrenean Climate Change Strategy (2022) is organised around 5 systems: Climate, Resilient Natural Areas, Adapted Mountain Economy, Population and Territory, and Governance.