Estonian Climate Adaptation Strategy for Infrastructure and Energy

Project facts

Project promoter:
Stockholm Environment Institute in Tallinn
Project Number:
EE02-0014
Target groups
Civil servants/Public administration staff
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€314,862
Final project cost:
€300,725
From EEA Grants:
€ 243,086
The project is carried out in:
Eesti

Description

The aim of the project is informed interest groups, who know how to apply and implement climate change adaptation measures in the infrastructure and energy sectors. The project will give basic knowledge how to mainstream the adaptation to climate change into everyone’s daily activities. The project is carried out as part of the predefined project "Estonian National Climate change adaptation strategy and implementation plan ". During the project will be carried out range of awareness-raising activities for dissemination of the information on climate change impacts and best practice on the implementation of adaptation measures . Beneficiaries are the government agencies. The project partners are: Engineering Institute of Estonian University of Life Sciences, the Baltic Environmental Forum. The donor country's project partner is the Fridtjof Nansen Institute from Kingdom of Norway. Partner’s involvement will ensure synergy of the various institutions sectoral know-how, in order to achieve the objectives of the project and to promote cooperation between different research institutions both in Estonia and Norway.

Summary of project results

The objective of the project Estonian Climate Adaptation Strategy for Infrastructure and Energy is to ensure the functioning of the above mentioned sectors in case of any climatic events, so that the vital services dependent on infrastructure will be available to people. The project was part of the creation of overall national climate change adaptation strategy for Estonia. The development of a climate change adaptation strategy will help for greater focus to be on changing climate conditions and impacts in everyday activities and prevent natural, human and economic losses that can arise as a consequence of climate change. The climate is warming, and changes in the climate system are taking place as a consequence. These will be realised in the form of increased incidence of extreme weather events that will have a negative impact on people’s work and living conditions as well as the functioning of infrastructure. As the measures adopted to date by states for reducing greenhouse gas emissions have not been sufficient, it can be assumed that today’s climate trends will continue and extreme weather phenomena will become more intense and frequent; as a result, targeted measures must begin to be implemented at all levels of society in order to adapt to these extreme weather events if negative impacts are to be avoided. The national strategy lists the problems posed by climate change on the functioning of society and the economy and sets out a plan of measures for resolving the most important problems. The result of this study is a thorough and comprehensive overview of the impacts of climate change and necessary adaptation measures; and appropriate measures in priority fields such as infrastructure, buildings, transport and energy sector in the form specified in the Estonian national climate change adaptation strategy and action plan compiled on the basis of the overview. The objective of the project was to analyse the climate change impact and work out measures for the Estonian national climate change adaptation strategy in infrastructure and energy sectors particularly. The objectives of the project were reached through the work of different experts working in the field. The measures were also conciliated between different ministries and other stakeholders involved in the final implementation of project results/ proposed measures. Also, several seminars were held in order to get strong feedback and meet the project targets even more.

Summary of bilateral results

The project is one part of the overall national climate change adaptation strategy. Having this strategy is important for the entire country in general, the more so as Estonia is still one of the EU countries missing that strategy. Therefore it is also a high political question and reputation for the donor partnerhsip. Fridtjof Nansen Institute (NFI) was Donor Project Partner. The FNI had expertise about climate change adaptation, impacts of climate change, and organisation of adaptation efforts at different levels, and contributed with this kind of knowledge. The project has increased awareness of and practical competence about climate change adaptation among the public administration and other participants. There has been established a strong and positive collaboration that PP hope to be able to utilise on later occasions.