This week, 40 regions and communities begin their journey with Pathways2Resilience, taking part in an 18-month programme to put a transformative approach to climate adaptation into action. Representing a population of more than 53 million people, these regions and communities aim to confront a wide range of hazards, from droughts to wildfires.
Selected from a pool of 164 applicants, the 40 communities and regions will work with project partners to push climate adaptation forward. These regions and communities will compose not only a climate resilience strategy, but also an action plan, and an accompanying investment plan. All these interactions together aim at harnessing and widening collective ambition towards climate adaptation.
Pathways2Resilience supports these regions with step-by-step technical guidance based on a transformational adaptation framework, the Regional Resilience Journey. This journey will include capacity-building activities, multiple learning and knowledge exchange opportunities and access to a comprehensive climate resilience toolbox.
In the words of Laura Pando Martínez, Learning Orchestrator for Climate Resilient Regions at EIT Climate-KIC and Pathways2Resilience project coordinator: “Achieving a just transition to climate resilience will require a transformation that goes beyond performing technical tasks to changing mindsets and attitudes… Building a resilient future for all requires not only protecting the most vulnerable, but also making sure they partake in the design of solutions as well as the arising opportunities. We can achieve thriving communities, while adapting to a changing climate, through the power of collaboration, ingenuity and shared learning.”
The regions will be supported by 21 million euros in cascade funding, allocated through two public calls for applications (the second of which will be launched in June 2025 TBC).
This first cohort is part of Pathways2Resilience’s aim to mobilise communities and elevate the ambition and capability of regional public administrations as they embark on a journey toward a more resilient future. It is also the initial step towards the goal of Pathways2Resilience in its support of 100 regions and communities as they move forward on transformative climate adaptation.
The journey will be launched at the official Kick Off Meeting (KoM) in mid-October in the Hague, where representatives from the 40 selected regions and partners from Pathways2Resileince will gather for this 1,5 day KoM to connect, learn and exchange knowledge regarding the various climate challenges they have all submitted as part of the call.
Download the full list of the regions here.
Download the map of the selected regions.
