Opportunity: Support to develop innovative financing solutions for climate adaptation

Opportunity: Support to develop innovative financing solutions for climate adaptation

European regions and their partners have a new opportunity to work on concrete solutions to one of the key challenges of climate adaptation: how to finance it.

A new EU-level programme, the Adaptation Finance Innovation Lab, is currently seeking project ideas that help territories better respond to climate risks such as heatwaves, flooding, or water scarcity, while also improving access to funding.

What is this opportunity about?

Many adaptation projects struggle to move forward because they are difficult to structure financially or to present to investors. This programme is designed to help address that gap.

Selected projects will receive support to develop and refine their financial approaches, with a focus on making them more viable and attractive to both public and private investors. The programme runs over approximately 13 months and includes expert guidance, mentoring and opportunities to test ideas in a regional context.

Who can apply?

The call is open to a broad range of actors, including regional and local authorities, public agencies, companies, financial actors, as well as research and innovation organisations.

Projects should be grounded in real territorial needs and linked to concrete climate risks.

What kind of projects are expected?

The programme is looking for practical approaches to financing adaptation. This could include, for example, new ways of funding resilient infrastructure, financial tools to support building renovation or nature-based solutions, or mechanisms to mobilise private investment.

The emphasis is on ideas that can be developed into real, scalable solutions.

Deadline

Applications are open until 10 April 2026.

More information

Further details on the call and the application process are available here.

Why this matters for regions

Access to finance remains one of the main obstacles to implementing adaptation strategies. This initiative provides an opportunity to develop concrete solutions and turn project ideas into initiatives that can realistically be financed and implemented.