Plan quality characteristics of Local Climate Adaptation Plans in Europe

A sample of 328 medium- to large-sized cities across the formerly EU-28 was investigated for the availability of Local Climate Plans and strategies on climate change adaptation. A set of 168 cities out of the 328 were identified to have at least one, if not more Local Climate Adaptation Plans.

The contents of these plans were documented, using an elaborated framework combining indicators of state-of-the -art plan quality principles with indicators of justice/ equity theory. Used common plan quality principles are 1) Fact base - Climate change impact, risk and vulnerability assessment (related to risk, sectors, justice), 2) Adaptation goals (related to risk, quantitative); 3) Adaptation measures (distributed across 12 sectors, justice); 4) Implementation process (prioritization, responsibility, timeframe) & tools (budget); 5) Monitoring & evaluation (responsibility, timeframe, justice).