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News
May 31st, 2021
The EEA Grants Oeste Adapta Project - Municipal Climate Adaptation Planning in the West Region, promoted, on May 31st, between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm, the first Technical Training Workshop to present the methodological program of the Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plans, the structure of the training program and identification of information needs.
The Workshop took place online, via the zoom platform and was attended by municipal technicians and technicians from OesteCIM.
The initiative was divided into several moments:
- Local adaptation to climate change: evolution, concepts and objectives
- Municipal Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change: Objectives, phasing and components
- Training program
- Methodology for preparing municipal adaptation plans - Institutional Articulation
- Communication and awareness program
- Next steps
June 15th, 2021
Oeste Adapta Project Initial Seminar, EEA Grants
The Intermunicipal Community of the West will hold the Initial Seminar of the Oeste Adapta Project on June 15, 2021, at 10:00 am.
Due to the current pandemic situation and subsequent mobility restrictions, this Seminar will be conducted by videoconference.
The initiative aims to sensitize the regional community and present the Project, as well as local adaptation experiences to climate change.
The Project “Oeste Adapta – Planning of Municipal Climate Adaptation in the West Region”, is led by OesteCIM - Oeste Intermunicipal Community, in partnership with CEDRU - Center for Regional and Urban Studies and Development, Lda and Vestlandsforsking (Western Norway Research Institute ).
In essence, the Oeste Adapta Project is composed of 3 components that aim to provide the West Municipalities with instruments to promote climate adaptation and with human resources prepared to ensure its implementation and monitoring, but also with local communities informed and prepared to deal with climate change.
June 15th, 2021
Oeste Adapta: OesteCIM promotes first seminar to raise awareness of the population on climate change
The initiative is part of the Project component that aims to raise regional and local awareness of climate change. Starting at 10:00 am and ending at 12:30 pm, throughout the morning it was possible to learn about the Project, as well as some experiences of local adaptation to climate change in the Municipalities of Tomar and Cascais, as well as the Non-Governmental Organization for the Environment QUERCUS, of the Lourambi Environmental Association and the Student Association of the Superior School of Tourism and Technology of the Sea of ??Peniche.
The opening of the session was made by the Executive Secretary of OesteCIM, Paulo Simões, by the Director of Services of the General Secretariat for the Environment, Susana Escária, and by the Coordinator of the National Management Unit EEA Grants Portugal, Susana Ramos.
The Seminar had two round tables where the relevance of adaptation plans as essential instruments for a city to be able to face the risks of climate change and extreme weather phenomena, such as heat waves or floods, was highlighted. In addition, the importance of citizen involvement and recognition of the work developed by the local government was highlighted, as well as the articulation between services, public policies to support the adaptation of the territory to climate change and its taxation, as well as the role of the media in the dissemination of environmental issues.
The Seminar was also attended by the National Partner, CEDRU, who presented the Oeste Adapta Project, and the Norwegian Partner, Western Norway Research Institute, who presented the survey carried out in Norwegian municipalities on adaptation to climate change.
The session was closed by the Ambassador of Norway in Portugal, Tove Westberg, and the President of the Intermunicipal Community of the West, Pedro Folgado.
July 15th, 2021
Technical training workshop #2 for the adaptation of the Western Territory to climate change
The initiative is part of the component "Program for training in planning and assembly of operations for adaptation to climate change", foreseen in the Project, and aims to promote technical training in methods of identification and analysis of climate sensitivity, vulnerability assessment and identification of priority vulnerable territories.
The target audiences of the action will be Municipal Technicians from the urbanism, environment and civil protection departments and Technicians from OesteCIM, seeking to give them the necessary skills to collaborate in the production of the respective Municipal Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change.
The Technical Training Workshop #2 will feature several moments, including:
- Work balance and status report
- Weather in the West
- Climate in the Municipal Plans for Adaptation to Western Climate Change
- Debate
- What are climate risks?
- Climate risk analysis methodology
- Next steps
Consult Program here
Oeste Adapta is a project of the Small Grant Scheme#3 – Projects to strengthen adaptation to climate change at the local level.
More information about the project here.
July 15th, 2021
OesteCIM promotes a workshop to assess risks and climate impacts in the West, within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project
On July 15, 2021, the second Technical Training Workshop was held within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project – Planning for Municipal Climate Adaptation in the West Region, financed through the Environment Programme of the EEA Grants, operated in Portugal by the General Secretariat for the Environment of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action.
Municipal Technicians from the departments of urbanism, environment and civil protection of the West and Technicians from OesteCIM were present at the session that took place in online format and had the intervention of representatives of CEDRU and IGOT.
Technical Training Workshop #2 is part of the second phase of the Project, corresponding to the Assessment of climate scenarios, risks and impacts.
João Vasconcelos from IGOT began by talking about the climate in the West, followed by João Vasconcelos from CEDRU who presented the municipality's climate context, observed trends, climate scenario and the municipality's framing in regional climate scenarios.
Sérgio Barroso explained what climate risks are and their consequences in Municipal Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change in the West, as well as an assessment of current impacts and vulnerabilities.
João Telha took the floor again to talk about the methodology for assessing climate vulnerabilities and methodological tasks.
Finally it was up to Heitor Gomes to address the Project's next steps namely the analysis of climate risks through the collection of cartographic bases to support the analysis for the production of cartography and analysis form template that will later be filled in by the respective Municipalities, revised and validated.
The next initiative will be the first Webinar of Oeste Adapta Project, scheduled for October 4, 2021.
18th October, 2021
OesteCIM will hold the first Webinar of the Oeste Adapta Project
On October 18th, at 9:50 am (Portugal), the Webinar #1 - Climate Sensitivity Assessment of the Oeste Adapta Project will take place, financed through the Environment Program of the EEA Grants, operated in Portugal by the General Secretariat for the Environment, of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action.
The initiative aims to review the Project's status and analyze municipal climate risks. The Municipal Technicians of the departments of urbanism, environment and civil protection in the West Region will be therefore divided into 3 virtual rooms.
In these virtual rooms Municipal Technicians together with the Project Partner CEDRU will analyze the current and future climate risks of the respective Municipalities. The Municipal Technicians will also have the opportunity to present and discuss the work they have developed to date.
Webinar #1 - Climate Sensitivity Assessment of the Oeste Adapta Project will feature several moments including:
- Balance of work and status
- Climatic Risks
- PIC Methodology
- Sensitivity Risk Analysis Methodology
- Questions & Answers and Next Steps
Oeste Adapta is a project of the Small Grant Scheme#3 – Projects to strengthen climate change adaptation at the local level.
Learn more about the project here.
December 14th, 2021
OesteCIM promotes webinar to assess the adaptive capacity of West Municipalities to climate change
On December 14th, the second webinar will take place within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project – Planning for Municipal Climate Adaptation in the West Region, financed by the EEA Grants Program.
The event counts on the interventions of the Center for Studies and Regional and Urban Development (CEDRU) and of Lídia Terra, Head of the Division of Climate Action and Circular Economy of the Municipality of Loulé.
The objective of this second Webinar is to know the state point of work, as well as the analysis of surveys referring to the climate impact profile of the Municipalities and the methodologies and results of the Municipal climate sensitivity analysis.
Will also be presented the methodology for analyzing the adaptive capacity of West Municipalities and the methodology for analyzing climate proofing of Local Plans, a tool designed to support the integration of climate change impacts, as well as the respective challenges and opportunities, in development planning at the local level, making development measures more efficient and resilient.
Discover the full program here
January 18th, 2022
Third webinar of the Oeste Adapta Project aims to assess future impacts and vulnerabilities of the West territory
The initiative will take place on January 18, at 9:55 am.
The webinar will be held online through Zoom videoconferencing and will be aimed at Municipal Technicians from the West trained in climate change adaptation operations.
Together with the team from the Center for Studies and Regional and Urban Development (CEDRU), the Municipal Technicians will take stock of the work and the current situation.
They will then be distributed through virtual rooms where the results of the climate sensitivity analysis of the respective Municipalities will be known.
After the meeting in the respective virtual rooms, they will return to the main room where the results of the adaptive capacity assessment and the analysis of the Climate Proofing of Local Plans will be presented.
At the end of the Webinar, the CEDRU team will address the Impact and Future Vulnerabilities Analysis Methodology, continuing the work on the next stages of the Project.
See Webinar #3 Program here
March 29th, 2022
OesteCIM, CEDRU and Municipal Technicians from the Oeste Adapta Project meet to analyze priority vulnerable territories in the West Region
This will be Webinar #4 within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project - Planning for Climate Adaptation in the West Region.
On March 29th, at 9:55 am, Webinar #4 “Priority Vulnerable Territories” will take place, organized by the promoter West Intermunicipal Community and the partner CEDRU.
During the Webinar, the work will be evaluated and topics such as the methodology and results obtained from the analysis of future vulnerabilities in the West Region will be discussed, as well as the methodology for defining priority vulnerable territories.
The initiative is part of one of the activities planned within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project, which aims to provide the Municipalities of the West with instruments to promote climate adaptation and human resources prepared to ensure its implementation and monitoring, as well as informed and informed local communities. prepared to deal with climate change.
See Webinar #4 Program here
May 10th, 2022
Adaptation to Climate Change in the West Region - third workshop with Municipal Technicians
Workshop #3 of the Oeste Adapta Project aims to train Municipal Technicians in methods and techniques of construction of measures and actions to adapt to climate change and their respective integration into spatial planning.
The activity will take place online, through the Zoom platform, on the 10th of May, at 09.55 am.
The Municipal Technicians from the departments of urban planning, environment and civil protection in the West Region will be divided into 3 virtual rooms where, in parallel sessions, they will analyze the priority vulnerable territories, together with a technician from the Center for Studies and Regional and Urban Development, Project Partner. Then, the strategy and respective adaptation measures to climate change in the territory will be addressed.
The project is financed through the “Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy” Program of the EEA Grants Financial Mechanism 2014 – 2021, with a total eligible cost of EUR 233,640.00.
The Oeste Adapta Project aims to provide the Municipalities of the West with instruments to promote climate adaptation and human resources prepared to ensure its implementation and monitoring, but also with local communities informed and prepared to deal with climate change.
See Webinar #3 Program here
May 12th, 2022
Oeste Adapta Project - Workshop #3 with Municipal Technicians promoted to identify priority vulnerable territories in the West Region
On May 10th, 2022, Workshop #3 of the Oeste Adapta Project was held, supported by the EEA Grants through the Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Programme.
The workshop took place between 09.55 am and 12.00 pm in online format, through the Zoom platform.
The purpose of the Workshop was to analyze the priority vulnerable territories of the West Region and speak with Municipal Technicians about the process of identifying them.
The form defining the strategy for adapting to changes, to be filled in by Municipal Technicians, was also analysed. In the form, the Technicians will identify the proposed adaptation measures for each type of climate risk and the respective adaptation actions.
At the end of the Workshop, it was time to discuss the next steps of the Project, which will involve Municipal Meetings between the CEDRU team and Municipal Technicians.
The project is financed through the “Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy” Programme of the EEA Grants Financial Mechanism 2014 – 2021, with a total eligible cost of EUR 233,640.00.
The Oeste Adapta Project aims to provide the Municipalities of the West with instruments to promote climate adaptation and human resources prepared to ensure its implementation and monitoring, but also with local communities informed and prepared to deal with climate change.
June 21th, 2022
Webinar #5 within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project – June 21th
The Oeste Adapta project, funded by the Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Programme of the EEA Grants 2014-2021, will promote, on June 21th, between 9:55 am and 12:15 pm, a webinar within the scope of the definition of the action for the adaptation of the municipalities of the West to climate change.
The Webinar will be divided into the following moments:
- Parallel sessions with Municipal Technicians on the respective adaptation strategy and measures;
- Presentation of the Methodology for the adaptation action sheets;
- Presentation of the Methodology for evaluating the adaptive path;
- Scope and contents of the Climate Action Plan;
- Next steps.
December 02nd, 2022
OESTE ADAPTA PROJECT | Webinar#6 - Mainstreaming and Integration
After the 12 Local Councils for Adapting to Climate Change in West Municipalities, on the 5th of December, at 2:25 pm, Webinar #6 Mainstreaming and integration will be held, through the ZOOM online platform.
Scheduled for in the last Phase of the Project, Webinar#6 will begin with a balance of work and the current situation, followed by parallel sessions with the Municipalities. In these parallel sessions, the Municipal Technicians will be divided into groups in order to take stock of the status of the Municipal Adaptation Plans and Adaptation Actions.
Pedro Henriques and Gonçalo Caetano, from the CEDRU team (Project Partner), will present the Climate Adaptation Mainstreaming Methodology and the Adaptation Integration Methodology in Territorial Management Instruments, respectively.
At the end of the webinar, Heitor Gomes will talk about the next steps, closing the session.
December 05th, 2022
Oeste Adapt Project | More than 30 participants in the penultimate Webinar of the Project
This Monday, December 5th, Webinar #6 of the Oeste Adapta Project, financed by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area EEA Grants, took place. The initiative was attended by more than 30 Municipal Technicians from the West assigned to the Project.
The penultimate Webinar of the Oeste Adapta Project started at 2:30 pm, with the first point of work being the realization of the Project's situation, made by the CEDRU Technician, Heitor Gomes. He referred that, in the Local Councils held, relevant contributions were collected for the last stage of Phase 2 and subsequent Action Plan.
With Webinar #6, the Project thus enters the phase of integrating adaptation into the Territorial Management and Mainstreaming Instruments.
After this introduction, the Municipal Technicians were distributed across 3 parallel rooms where, together with a Technician from CEDRU, they were asked if there was any doubt or difficulty in the respective Plan and PVT's. A balance was also made of the Local Councils and the respective participation of the population in them and, finally, the importance of consolidating and making a good definition of the universe of relevant measures and actions for the Municipality was mentioned, as this will be a very important task for the next phase of the Project.
Pedro Henriques and Gonçalo Caetano, CEDRU technicians, presented the Mainstreaming Methodology for Climate Adaptation and the Methodology for the Integration of Adaptation in Territorial Management Instruments, respectively.
Regarding the Mainstreaming methodology, it was possible to understand why it is desirable to integrate adaptation to climate change in local development plans, programs and strategies, as well as the three different forms of mainstreaming. The next methodological tasks and sub-tasks were also presented to Municipal Technicians.
With regard to the Integration of Adaptation in Territorial Management Instruments, Gonçalo Caetano spoke about the main ways of integrating adaptation in territorial planning and in Territorial Management Instruments (IGT), addressing the next methodological tasks to be carried out in this context.
In the end, Heitor Gomes mentioned the next steps, namely the holding of Webinar#7, on the 25th of January, to assess the “Mainstreaming and Integration” work and prepare the management, monitoring and evaluation work.
January 20th, 2023
Webinar #7 | Oeste Adapt Project
On January 25th, 2023, the seventh Webinar will take place, within the scope of the Oeste Adapta Project, through zoom online platform. The initiative will count on the participation of the Project partner, Vestlandsforsking (Western Norway Research Institute).
The reception of the participants will be at 09.55 am, followed by the balance of the work and the situation of the Project.
Parallel sessions will then be held with the Municipal Technicians in order to analyze the respective Strategy and measures for adapting the territory to climate change.
After the break, it will be time for Carlo Aall, representative partner of Vestlandsforsking (Western Norway Research Institute) to make his intervention and talk about adapting to climate change in Norway.
Finally, the Plan Management Models Methodology and the Monitoring System Methodology will be addressed, ending the session with the next steps of the Project.
January 26th, 2023
Oeste Adapta holds a Webinar with the online participation of the Project's Norwegian Partner
Webinar #7 of the Oeste Adapta Project took place on January 25th, 2023. The initiative had the participation of the Norwegian Partner, Vestlandsforking.
The objective of the activity was to analyze the strategies and measures for adapting to climate change in the twelve Municipalities of the West and to assess the respective balance and status of the work.
Held online via the Zoom platform, the Webinar also had the participation of Carlo All, representing the Project's Norwegian Partner, Vestlandsforking.
Carlo shared with participants information about climate change adaptation in Norway, government guidance and responsibility in the area of climate change adaptation and its prioritization. It was also discussed how municipalities are expected to be affected by various aspects and effects of climate change.
At the end of the session, it was time to remember the next stages of the Project with the Municipal Technicians.
June 21th, 2023
OESTE ADAPTA | Urgency and adaptation challenges to climate change in the West will be themes of the Project's Final Seminar
On the 28th of June, the Final Seminar of the Oeste Adapta project takes place in the Intermunicipal Community of the West, in Caldas da Rainha.
In this event, the balance of the Project's implementation will be made.
There will also be a moment of debate with the Municipalities of Alcobaça, Caldas da Rainha, Lourinhã and Torres Vedras with the aim of knowing the urgencies and challenges of adapting the territory to climate change.
The Seminar will be attended by the Project Partner (Western Norway Research Institute), represented by Carlo Aall, who will share the Partner's international example in adaptation to climate change.
After the intervention of the Project Partner, Certificates will be awarded to the Municipal Technicians involved in the Project.
The event ends with a speech by Ellen Aabø, Chargé d'Affaires at the Norwegian Embassy in Portugal, and by Pedro Folgado, President of the West Intermunicipal Community.
The aim of the project is to promote the integration of the West Region's Intermunicipal Adaptation Plan to Climate Change at the municipal level. In addition, the Oeste Adapta Project aims to provide the municipalities of the West Region with a strategic and operational instrument for adapting to climate change that increases local resilience, simultaneously promoting the training of municipal technicians in the field of local climate adaptation and increasing sensitivity and preparing local and regional actors to deal with the implications of climate change.
June 26th, 2023
Final Seminar of the Oeste Adapta Project
On the 28th of June, the Final Seminar of the Oeste Adapta Project was held, to present the Project and experiences of local adaptation to climate change.
The event took place in Intermunicipal Community of the West, Caldas da Rainha, and had more than 50 participants.
The event was opened by Paulo Simões, Executive Secretary of OesteCIM, followed by a coffee break.
Susana Escaria, from the General Secretariat for the Environment, virtually present at the session, greeted those present and mentioned that, once the Plans have been drawn up, it is important to implement concrete measures to adapt to climate change.
The Environment Programme has already supported 60 projects. The closure of the Oeste Adapta Project is “another relevant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and strengthening bilateral relations between beneficiary countries and donor countries.”
Luís Carvalho, from the Center for Urban Regional Studies and Development, took stock of the Project. Climate change is reflected in the increase in the average annual temperature, in the increase in the number of days of heat waves, in the decrease in precipitation and in the rise in the average sea level.
The Deputy Director of Center for Urban Regional Studies and Development mentioned the objectives and components of the Project, carried out over 24 months of work, which involved planning, training and awareness-raising components.
Future challenges include implementing the planned adaptation actions by 2030, having an evidence-based, transparent and scrutinized policy, intensifying community awareness, integrating adaptation into municipal policies, especially in urban planning, preserving the role of ecosystems in providing regulatory services and revise/update the plan for an advance planning process.
This was followed by a debate on the urgencies and challenges of climate adaptation in the West, moderated by Gonçalo Caetano (Center for Urban Regional Studies and Development), which included Hermínio Rodrigues, Mayor of Alcobaça, António Vidigal, Secretary of the Presidency and Council of the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha, João Serra, Alderman of the Municipality of Lourinhã and Dulcineia Ramos, Alderman of the Municipality of Torres Vedras.
In a markedly rural region, the main concerns are related to the lack of water, heat waves and drought, but also to the conservation of the cliffs, the safety of people and goods, rising seas and floods.
It is important to train/educate, raise awareness and adapt land use planning instruments, namely through an inter-municipal collaborative network to work together and face extreme events.
Present at the session, Carlo Aall, representative of the Norwegian Partner Western Norway Research Institute, spoke about the Norwegian experience, namely the next phase of conventional adaptation to climate change, transboundary risks, types of environmental problems, the disconnect between the discourse of adaptation and mitigation to climate change and the need to reconnect the currently divided climate discourses.
At the end of the session, Ellen Aabø, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Norway in Portugal, mentioned the importance of investments in climate adaptation in the short and medium term, giving the example of the commitment of the Norwegian State to sustainable energy production and consumption solutions. In her words “the Project is over, but this is where the work begins”.
At the end of the Seminar, all Municipal Technicians involved in the Project received the respective Certificate.
Funded by:
 Intermunicipal Community of the WestAvenida General Pedro Cardoso, nº9
2500-922 Caldas da Rainha
Tel.: +351 262 839 030
Email: geral@oestecim.pt
Project funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through EEA Grants
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