Relaunch of RegionsAdapt after a decade of climate commitment

Ten years after its launch at COP21 in Paris, the RegionsAdapt program, led by Regions4, was relaunched through a series of international webinars organized by ORU Fogar. The session, which brought together dozens of regional governments from around the world, served both to celebrate the initiative’s achievements and to invite new regions to join this collective space for subnational climate action.

“If we’re organizing this webinar ten years later to present it again, it’s because it has been a success. But also because many current regional officials are still not aware of it,” said Carles Llorens, Secretary General of ORU Fogar, in his opening remarks.

Melisa Cran, manager of the RegionsAdapt program at Regions4, presented the structure, benefits, and commitments that regions take on when joining the initiative clearly and in detail. She explained that the program requires regional governments to fulfill four key actions: develop a climate change adaptation strategy or plan, implement at least one concrete action, report annually on progress, and participate in cooperation and exchange activities with other regions. She also presented the tools available, such as a resource kit called the RegionsAdapt Toolkit, which provides guidelines and best practices, and a monitoring system called the Subnational Tracker, which allows for tracking each region’s progress. Additionally, she noted that the program requires regions to report their progress each year through a digital platform. Finally, she emphasized that RegionsAdapt helps position regional governments within the international climate agenda.

After a dialogue with participants, the session was closed by Natalia Uribe, Secretary General of Regions4, who highlighted the key role that RegionsAdapt will play in the upcoming COP30, to be held in Belém, Brazil. “We want this initiative to be a pillar of the regional voice in the global climate adaptation agenda. Sharing experiences, learning from one another, is essential for progress,” she said.

Uribe reaffirmed her belief that “regional leadership in climate action is essential to accelerate just resilience, and programs like RegionsAdapt are key instruments for channeling that leadership into international negotiations.”

With more than 80 regional government members in 30 countries across 5 continents, RegionsAdapt is now one of the most robust regional climate adaptation initiatives. The event highlighted the close relationship between ORU Fogar and Regions4, underlining their institutional connection and ongoing collaboration. ORU Fogar had already supported the launch of RegionsAdapt at the Paris Summit. Many of its members were part of the initial group of signatory regions. Today, that same bond should not only enable a strong relaunch of regional climate adaptation policies but also expand the circle of regions committed to this agenda.