Climate change mitigation and adaptation

Local and regional strategies in Baltic States to adapt climate changes (BaltClim)

Duration: November 2011 – May 2013
Partners: Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Germany
Financiers: Advisory Assistance Programme for Environmental Protection in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia

The goal of the project BaltClim was to support the Ministries of Environment in developing adaptation strategies to climate change by elaborating a road map. This road map was supposed to list options for overcoming barriers and obstacles on the way to the national adaptation strategies, thematic priorities, and first steps. In order to develop these road-maps, interviews have been conducted with the employees of the three Baltic Ministries of Environment and the findings have been summarised in a background paper. Furthermore, a thematic seminar, stakeholder workshops and a study tour to Germany have supported knowledge exchange and knowledge transfer.

The project BaltClim revived the dormant processes of developing adaptation strategies in Latvia and Estonia. Despite short personnel resources, the Ministries of Environment could realise first steps, for example the organisation of inter-ministerial working groups in Latvia and Estonia, or the tendering of a study in Latvia. In Lithuania, the policy overtook the project goals by approving the National Strategy for Climate Change Management Policy. This offered the opportunity to contribute to the action plan which is under development. Thanks to the BaltClim project, two stakeholder meetings could be organised in Vilnius, discussing aspects of the action plan.

More information:
Sandra Oisalu
+372 6597 027
sandra.oisalu @bef.ee