Question

Which question has been addressed in this step?

Identifying measures: What are the CC adaptation policies and activities taking place with regards to adaptation at the different levels of governance structure?

Why has this question been chosen?

• To scope how the different institutions interested advancing adaptation, through supporting and influencing farmers, are drafting, launching, and implementing CC adaptation plans at the national and the regional level, especially with respect to the water and agriculture sectors.

Which methods have been applied?

• Semi-structured guided interviews, institutional mapping, literature and policy documents review. A selection of decision-makers was interviewed to cover different levels of analysis (national, regional, the 'general' adaptation level, and the sectoral level).

Why have these methods been selected?

• In the framework of the Mediation project, this study was also conducted in Austria, Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, and the UK with the final aim of exploring the EUs role in coordinating adaptation policy.

What results have been obtained?

• Review of the Spanish policy context, institutional framework and development of plans for climate change adaptation. Special emphasis was given to the expected climate change impacts on water resources, agriculture, biodiversity and coastal areas, as comprised in the first working program of the Spanish National Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The study also provided an indepth analysis of the main regional plans and their contents in relation to adaptation.
• Climate change adaptation policies in Spain are still at an incipient phase. They have focused above all on gathering basic information and impact analysis. Each autonomous government is developing strategies that respond to the particular regional needs. Thus, coordination with regions is an issue of the highest relevance.

Reflections on this step

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