Amplifying Local Voices: Insights from the Liège Climate Adaptation Summit

At the Climate Chance Europe 2024 Wallonia Summit in Liège, held under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, key messages resonated strongly. The summit, marked by a strong call to more systemic approaches, emphasized the integration of local dimensions, the potential of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), and the imperative of prioritizing the needs of vulnerable communities. Against the backdrop of Liège’s firsthand experience with extreme weather, notably the tragic floods of July 2021, which claimed 39 lives and caused extensive infrastructure damage, the summit served as both a commemoration of past tragedies and a platform for developing plans to prevent similar catastrophes across Europe.

The primary goals of the Climate Chance summit were twofold: to contribute to the European climate agenda under the Belgian Presidency, particularly focusing on climate change adaptation, NBS, and resilience, and to catalyse the formulation of the Liège Declaration—a visionary roadmap poised to leave a significant imprint on the EU Council’s agenda.

Elevating Perspectives: An Inspiring High-Level Event

We were even more glad to participate in the event as it was co-organised by one of our members: Wallonie Energy SPW.

The Summit was chaired by Jean-Pascal van Ypersele from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In his opening remarks, van Ypersele urged participants to transcend traditional boundaries and leverage the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework to foster collaboration across all sectors of society.

The inaugural panel of the summit set the tone for multi-level collaboration, featuring representatives from Liège city, academia, ministries of the Wallonia region, the Belgian federal government, and EU delegates. Subsequent discussions embraced diverse perspectives from non-state actors and European stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of placing vulnerable communities at the forefront of climate action. The opening ceremony culminated in inspiring keynote addresses, one by Professor Paola Vigano presenting academia research addressing post-flood challenges in the Vesdre Valley, and another by Arthur Keller advocating for philosophical and systemic approaches to enhance societal resilience.

Urban Resilience: Cities Leading the Change

The summit’s subsequent sessions convened a diverse array of stakeholders, with particular emphasis on initiatives spotlighting the pivotal role of cities and regions, especially during the Covenant of Mayors – Europe workshop.

Navigating the second day, a spotlight shone on the adaptation endeavours in local climate action plans, with speakers from across Europe. Alison De Luise, representing the Covenant of Mayors – Europe, came back on the three-year experimentation within the Policy Support Facility (PSF), wherein over 36 cities received support through workshops, peer exchanges, and targeted expert guidance. Gilles Foret, Deputy Mayor of Liège, elaborated on the city’s adoption of the SECAP (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan), which, signed mere weeks before the 2021 floods, played a pivotal role in enhancing citizen awareness of risk management and urban forestry stewardship. Giving a perspective on a different level of governance, Margarita Espinos, representing the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, shed light on their region’s proactive measures to combat heatwaves, underscoring the centrality of urban and mobility planning in densely populated areas. Finally, Isabel Loureiro shared a medium-size, industrial city perspective, Guimaraes in Portugal, stressing the importance of strong political commitment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and consensus-building in confronting climatic challenges.

Catalysing Climate Adaptation: Empowering Regional Players

During both days, the pitch corner took place in parallel with the workshops, during which tens of projects and initiatives were presented by private and local actors, but also regional and European institutions.

FEDARENE seized the opportunity to spotlight two groundbreaking initiatives: the Mission Implementation Platform (MIP4 Adapt) and the results of the REGILIENCE project, including the Maladaptation self-assessment tool and the Financing Opportunities Repository.

These pitches triggered very interesting discussions with different types of stakeholders. We are very thankful for their feedback and look forward to future collaborations!

Committing to Action: FEDARENE’s Pledge in the Liège Declaration

Finally, the main highlight of the summit was the release of the Liège Declaration, a roadmap for adaptation to climate change drafted by European non-state actors including cities and regions, NGOs, organisations, researchers, civil society, and businesses. With over 70 organizations endorsing this pivotal document, the imperative of prioritizing the most vulnerable communities, championing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and to mitigating maladaptation risks was resoundingly affirmed.

By affixing our signature to the Declaration, FEDARENE pledges to advocate for these principles at the EU level, eagerly anticipating the forthcoming EUropean Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) and its potential to encourage the next European Commission to increase ambition.

The Declaration remains open for endorsement, inviting stakeholders to join our collective endeavor until June 17, 2024.

To check out FEDARENE work on Climate Adaptation here.