Objectives and results
ARCADIA is committed to accelerating climate adaptation through the strategic implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) across Europe. We are deeply committed to:
- Galvanising transformative adaptation using nature-based solutions across European regions and support them in designing consistent regional blue-green infrastructure networks.
- Assisting the regions & communities in accessing up-to-date, evidence-, knowhow-based, actionable knowledge, guidance, knowledge-intense tools and services.
- Fostering enabling conditions and capabilities for nature based leveraged transformation and green recovery, to: perform tailored risk & performance assessment, mobilise sustainable finance & resources and close adaptation financial gap, scale-up solutions for larger impact and design adaptation services for transformative change to resilience.
The Arcadia project brings together 8 Regions from across Europe, divided into Model Regions and Fellows Regions. Model Regions serve as examples of best practices, driving innovation and sustainable development, while Fellows Regions are actively learning and adapting these practices to enhance their own growth.
The Arcadia project aims to contribute to the objectives of EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change empowers European regions and local authorities to achieve climate resilience, aiming to guide at least 150 communities through understanding climate risks, developing pathways for preparation, and implementing innovative solutions by 2030.
Model Regions
Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The Emilia-Romagna Region is actively engaged in the project, focusing on the challenge to increase the territory’s resilience, particularly in response to exceptional rainfall and flooding, through Sustainable and Active Forest Management.
The Emilia-Romagna Region will develop pilot Forest Land Use Plans to address:
- Erosion protection and hydrogeological safety
- Valorization of forest natural capital, including Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)
- Enhancement of water-related ecosystem services
Lower Austria, Austria
The Lower Austria Region is committed to addressing the impacts of climate change by establishing nature-based solutions (NbS) as the preferred approach for adapting to its consequences.
The areas of works will be:
- Interconnected networks of green and blue infrastructures in urban and peri-urban areas
- Nature-based solutions for agricultural landscapes, such as multifunctional hedges
- NbS for climate-friendly site development and the renewal of business areas
Zagreb & Krapina-Zagorje, Croatia
The Zagreb & Krapina-Zagorje Region faces a range of climate-related challenges. In the City of Zagreb, urban heat islands and urban flooding are key issues, while Krapina-Zagorje is grappling with landslides and the balance between biodiversity and agriculture.
The Region will work on:
- Spatial planning and implementation mechanisms with a synergistic approach to climate mitigation and adaptation
- Integration of climate-related data into a comprehensive geo-spatial data system
- Modelling nature-based solutions (NbS) to assess their impact on climate risks
- Creating a portfolio of NbS by identifying and prioritizing key measures with the support of GIS tools
Skåne, Sweden
The Skåne Region faces increasing climate challenges, including the risk of flooding from intense rainfall, rising sea levels, and the threat of droughts and heatwaves.
The areas of work will be:
- Municipality dialogues with water stakeholders to promote more integrated water catchment management and collaboration
- Creating blue-green corridors in urban and agricultural landscapes through landowner dialogues
- Developing a public community space that demonstrates nature-based urban solutions
- Expanding knowledge about heat and climate change risks, and improving policy frameworks
Funen, Denmark
The Funen Region is tackling a variety of water-related climate challenges, including cloudbursts and heavy precipitation, rising shallow groundwater, flooding from streams and lakes, and storm surges driven by rising sea levels.
The areas of works are:
- Developing an Integrated Water Cycle Strategy to improve the aquatic environment
- Implementing Sustainable Drainage Systems, incorporating citizen science
- Protecting against streams overflow and flooding
- Creating a network of blue-green infrastructure
Fellow Regions
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
It is an important area for agriculture located in central southern Bulgaria. The river Maritsa and its tributaries are key for supporting irrigation water demand. It is also a developed industrial pole that recently is working to create a “Climate-neutral economic zone” by switching to green energy and to develop a “Carbon neutral Industrial Park Strategy”. In the context of nature-based climate change adaptation, the city was part of an afforestation campaign across the whole North Region of Plovdiv, with the aim of creating a greener and healthier region.
Centru, Romania
It is a development Region in charge of coordinating regional development projects and funds from the EU. More than 40% of the region’s territory is covered by Natura 2000 sites. With the Development Plan 2014-2020, the Regional Development Agency Centru assumed the lead towards an economic growth based on knowledge, environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources and strengthening social cohesion. On this basis, the following Regional Development Plan 2021-2027 prioritizes actions for environmental quality in urban and rural areas, energy resources efficiency, biodiversity protection and mitigation of climate change impacts.
Podravje, Slovenia
The River Network of Mura-Drava-Danube represents an important ecological reserve that was the core for biodiversity protection, nature-based restoration and flood risk management projects. Maribor, the European capital of culture 2012, is the main city of the region and it is part of the Covenant of Mayor for Climate and Energy. The municipality established the Energy Agency of Podravje (ENERGAP) that aims to develop an effective energy strategy in the Podravje Region.