Climate change adaptation strategy and measures for thematic fields of natural environment and bioeconomy: BIOCLIM

Project facts

Project promoter:
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Project Number:
EE02-0006
Target groups
Researchers or scientists
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€373,342
Final project cost:
€358,286
From EEA Grants:
€ 275,946
The project is carried out in:
Estonia

Description

The project will assess climate change impacts on the following thematic fields: natural environment; biodiversity; terrestrial ecosystems; freshwater ecosystems; marine ecosystems, incl. The Baltic Sea; ecosystem services; bioeconomy: agriculture; forestry; fisheries; hunting; peat mining. The project will also develop a coherent proposal for an adaptation strategy and action plan, incl. detailed measures for adaptation, for the thematic fields mentioned above. Governmental bodies responsible for implementing international and EU climate change policies and legislation are the most direct beneficiaries, e.g. the Ministry of Environment, also ministries of other sectors and their departments. The project will help the society and public as a whole to become more aware of the climate-related topics in general and to understand and implement specific relevant adaptation measures in their daily lives. Cooperation experience will certainly help in addressing issues related to climate change in a more systematic, holistic and interdisciplinary manner in both, research and applied projects.

Summary of project results

BioClim mapped the current situation, analysed the climate change impacts and possible adaptation measures for the thematic area of natural environment and bioeconomy in Estonia. It was one of the four projects contributing to the compilation of the Estonian national climate adaptation strategy and action plan the draft version of which published in the 2016. Within the BioClim project, the following 11 natural environment and bioeconomy fields in Estonia were analysed: biodiversity, terrestrial ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems, marine ecosystems including the Baltic Sea, ecosystem services, agriculture, forestry, fishery, hunting, tourism and peat extraction. The results of the project are being used for the compilation of the national adaptation strategy and action plan, which are long-term policies (up to 2030) in this field. The project aimed at developing a comprehensive understanding about climate change impacts in specific fields in Estonia, and outlining a set of suggested adaptation measures for minimizing the negative impacts, as well as taking advantage of the positive effects. The project created a set of scientifically based suggestions for developing the national climate adaptation policies. The project also created a network of scientists and stakeholders who have the potential for further cooperation for knowledge co-generation in this field. The following outputs were delivered: 1) Background analysis of climate change impacts and the set of suggested measures in the fields of bioeconomy and natural environment; 2) chapters for the national climate adaptation strategy 3) sections for the climate adaptation action plan 4) Public summaries for the main results 5) Several public and stakeholder communication and engagement events The beneficiaries were involved via specific and public events but also through targeted means of communication and consultation, such as inviting them to comment on specific parts of the background analysis and strategy texts. The main benefit - Background and direct input for the national climate adaptation policies; A network of scientists and practitioners, which could have a good potential for further cooperation in this thematic area

Summary of bilateral results

AUI is involved in project activities related to sharing the Islandic experiences on assessing climate change impacts and developing adaptation measures for different fields related to the natural environment and to bioeconomy. The Partner contributed to delivering the consultations between the Estonian and Islandic partners on climate change impact assessments and developing the adaptation measures for thematic fields on natural environment and bioeconomy including preparing a seminar presentation in the intermediate seminar. The partnership for BioClim emerged from a previous cooperation between the AUI and EMÜ, on specific topics regarding forest ecosystems and forestry. In a similar vein, this partnership via the BioClim project has a good potential for further R & D cooperation regarding the climate adaptation and other related topical fields.