adaptation

ERRIN contributes to EU consultation on European Climate Resilience Framework

ERRIN has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the upcoming European Climate Resilience and Risk Management Framework, putting forward a strong case for embedding climate resilience at the heart of Europe’s competitiveness and territorial development.

Building on input from its member regions and cities, as well as insights from key Horizon Europe projects – RESIST, Pathways2Resilience (P2R) and Adaptation Hubs – ERRIN’s response highlights the need for a systemic, forward-looking approach to climate resilience. ERRIN calls for a shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, mission-oriented and place-based strategies that integrate climate risks into policy-making, investment planning and governance structures.

A central message of the response is that climate resilience should be recognised as a structural pillar of Europe’s long-term competitiveness. ERRIN emphasises that resilience is not only about reducing risks, but also about driving innovation, creating new markets and strengthening economic security.

The response strongly supports the scaling up and institutionalisation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change as a core governance model. ERRIN underlines the importance of ensuring continuity between research and innovation actions and post-2027 funding instruments, including the future European Competitiveness Fund, to enable the deployment and scaling of adaptation solutions.

ERRIN also stresses the key role of regions and cities as co-designers and co-implementers of climate resilience strategies. Given the territorial nature of climate risks, a place-based approach combined with strong multi-level governance, adequate administrative capacity and predictable funding is essential to ensure effective and inclusive implementation across Europe.

Furthermore, the network calls for embedding the principle of 'climate resilience by design' across all relevant EU policies and programmes, including research and innovation, cohesion policy, agriculture and infrastructure investments. Strengthening the link between innovation and market uptake, improving access to finance and supporting the development of bankable project pipelines are identified as critical enablers.

Drawing on concrete experiences from RESIST, P2R and Adaptation Hubs, ERRIN demonstrates how regional ecosystems can co-create, test and scale adaptation solutions through collaborative, mission-oriented approaches.

With this contribution, ERRIN reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the regional and local dimension of EU climate policy and ensuring that the future Climate Resilience Framework fully leverages the potential of Europe’s territories to drive the green transition.