STAR2Cs

Short Term Adaptation for Long Term Resilience to Climate Change
Priority Axis
Adaptation to Climate ChangeSpecific objective
Adaptation to Climate Change
Lead partner
Kent County CouncilContact
Start Date
13/07/2017End Date
31/08/2021Project budget
4 380 191 €ERDF amount
2 628 115 €ERDF rate
60%About
Common challenge
With climate change, flooding will likely become more frequent and severe with damages in Europe reaching €23.5bn by 2050. Given floods are already costly to 2 Seas area, there is clear need to take proactive action to reduce the impacts of future flooding on our ecosystems, communities and economies. Member States have developed national adaptation strategies identifying such action. However, local authorities and regional agencies tasked with implement them are finding it challenging to deliver tangible adaptation measures. This difficulty is driven by a systemic failure to engage local stakeholders responsible for planning and decision making with adaptation due to several barriers including lack of: understanding of long-term costs/benefits, relevant tools and capabilities to support decision making and funding for perceived ‘future’ investments. Thus, there is little appetite or ability to deliver local adaptation, creating an ‘implementation gap’ between strategy and real change.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
The STAR2Cs Project aims to address the implementation gap faced by stakeholders in delivering local action to build adaptation capacity. The project will produce 1 e-tool to identify and evaluate mechanisms to deliver adaptation focused on local scenarios, 1 knowledge and capacity building service increasing stakeholder ability for 'future proofed' decision making, 8 implementation pathways to implement in 8 pilot areas and one case study method evaluating the success of STAR2Cs.
STAR2Cs is progressing well against activity and budget forecasts as set out in the AF. Considerable progress has been made by all partners in the second year of project delivery. Two project outputs have been delivered in accordance with the AF. Building from partner experience, expertise and input, the Adaptation Catalyst e-tool (Output 1), has been delivered by LP and Deltares and has been tested and promoted widely among partner organisations and networks. Output 2, the Knowledge and Capability Building Service has been delivered by PP2 and tested and implemented by partners in their organisation and pilot areas. 3 Cross border workshops and PMCs have been held, supporting the successful delivery of transferable outputs and encouraging cross-border cooperation. In order to better measure STAR2Cs’ impact and results, LP has produced a baseline survey (completed by partners) and analysed the findings into a report with baseline figures on the current state of adaptation implementation across the 2 Seas area. In addition to project level progress, PPs have made excellent progress in local delivery of pilot activity in 2019. LP engaged groups across the Council and Kent to raise awareness of the project and O1. PP2 made significant progress in three pilot areas, delivering two final reports. PP4 has completed data validation and measures analysis for 80% of their pilot areas. PP5 has developed their understanding of local issues and commenced redevelopment work. PP6 is working with consultants to develop a climate dialogue, knowledge base and engage stakeholders on climate adaptation. PP7 and PP2 have developed and signed a river charter for the Zwalm and are engaging residents. PP8 has developed a card game to facilitate engagement with residents on climate change and is developing a vision for their pilot area.