REACHOUT helps European cities with new climate adaptation toolkit
Expert(s) |
Ad Jeuken
|
Sarah Wright
Seven European cities and partners have worked intensively together for the past three and a half years in the EU project REACHOUT. The goal was to develop climate services that truly connect to real-world practice in cities. The result is a versatile and accessible Triple-A toolkit that helps municipalities analyse climate risks, formulate Ambitions and plan concrete Actions. This approach is now available via the Triple-A Toolkit platform.
The project was coordinated by Deltares and CAS Foundation and was part of the EU Green Deal. Seven European cities and several research institutions collaborated in it. Important results were delivered to accelerate climate adaptation (see also Tailormade climate services for cities - the REACHOUT Triple-A-Toolkit)
Triple-A tools
The Triple-A Toolkit serves as a kind of marketplace between potential users (municipalities, consultants) and providers of the tools. Users can find information in various ways about which of the more than 20 tools offered are best suited for their question. This could be about dealing with heat, flooding, protecting vulnerable groups or designing nature-based solutions. Deltares has applied and further developed tools such as FloodAdapt, Climate Resilient City Toolbox and Climate resilient pathways (CRDP), in the project in Cork, Logroño, Gdynia, Lillestrom and Athens. CRDP is an extension of adaptation and links adaptation to broader urban goals, such as urban renewal, greening and traffic planning, for example.
The collaboration with research institutes and universities through REACHOUT was instrumental in addressing heat-related climate risks in Milan.
Simone Nardicchia (Milan)
Demonstration of tools in action
What the tools can actually do in action is demonstrated under the heading 'City Solutions' which includes solutions, in this case the application of different combinations of tools, to common climate challenges, illustrated with results from the project. Also found on the platform are 'Climate stories' developed by the cities themselves to communicate results of the tools to citizens through accessible stories and a learning program.
A climate story is a very effective communication tool. I think the lessons learned from the project give us many opportunities for improvement, such as which measures can be applied more effectively in specific areas of the city.
Elena Garrido Martínez (Logroño)
