What is ECCA?


  • A FORUM to exchange practical solutions and knowledge
  • A PLACE to connect research, tools and solutions with decision makers and practitioners
  • A PLACE to listen and learn new things – and to be inspired to create change
  • A biennual CONFERENCE to connect with other people around adaptation solutions
  • An EVENT that creates curiosity and leaves you with a good feeling and a desire to get involved again
  • The PLACE where outcomes of climate adaptation research can be considered by stakeholders and non academics according to their needs

Key Features of ECCA

• Exchange among local and regional decision makers and private sector actors on best available knowledge on climate adaptation and resilience building and understanding by scientists on what research is needed next – The Science-Practice Dialogue

• Further building a community of climate adaptation practice of scientists and practitioners – The Science-Practice Forum

• Create sustainable links to collaborate towards solutions on the ground – The Science-Practice Platform

• Showcase good practice to serve as example and trigger upscaling of adaptation solutions – The Science-Practice Showroom

• Inspire new action and policy measures and create awareness – The Science-Practice Polis

ECCA Through the Years

The biennial European Climate Change Adaptation conference is convened by projects that have received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Framework Programme.

In 2010,

The first global conference on adaptation was held in Gold Coast, Australia under the umbrella of the UN Environment Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation (PROVIA). This marked the beginning of the biennial Adaptation Futures conferences and inspired a group of European participants to organise Europe-focused events in alternate years. The European Commission supports the conference series, managing the events together with the project coordinators of three EU-funded adaptation research projects.

In 2013,

Integrating climate into action Hamburg, 18–20 March 2013. The first ECCA was organised by EU research projects RESPONSES, CLIMSAVE, MEDIATION and ClimateCost, covering a broad range of adaptation issues. The conference focused on understanding and assessing adaptation in action with topics covering risk and vulnerability assessments, governance, and impact and effectiveness studies, as well as the economics of adaptation.

In 2015,

Integrating climate adaptation action in science, policy, practice, and business, Copenhagen, 12–14 May 2015. More than 750 participants from 46 countries took part in ECCA 2015 in Copenhagen. The conference offered a platform for researchers, policymakers, and businesses to share new research results, novel policy developments, and practical implementation experiences on climate change impacts and adaptation. Opportunities for business innovations to support the transition to low carbon societies were also highlighted. Sessions were designed to combine knowledge, policy, practice, and business as well as showcase how climate change adaptation in Europe can contribute to job creation and other societal benefits. BASE, RAMSES and ToPDAd were the EU-funded projects behind the second ECCA.

In 2017,

Our climate ready future in Glasgow, 05–09 June 2017. The vision for ECCA 2017 was to inspire and enable people to work together to discover and deliver positive climate adaptation solutions that can strengthen society, revitalise local economies and enhance the environment. The City of Glasgow welcomed over 850 people to the third ECCA, which featured for the first time a business and innovation programme.

Contributions from young speakers stressed the need for deeper involvement of young people in climate action and policymaking at all levels. A challenge embedded into the city’s school curricula led to an exhibition by local schoolchildren of their imaginative solutions to Glasgow flooding problems. ECCA 2017 was organised by the EU-funded IMPRESSIONS, HELIX and RISES-AM projects.

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In 2019,

Working together to prepare for change Lisbon, 28–31 May 2019. Held for the first time in southern Europe, this conference’s edition brought together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss recent advances in climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) research, policy and practice, and aimed to inspire collective climate action. Around 1200 participants attended the 96 Science-Practice and Science parallel sessions. These were organised by the scientific and practice communities to present the current state-of-the-art and to inspire action along the six identified ECCA themes. PLACARD, BINGO and RESCCUE were the EU-funded projects behind the fourth ECCA.

In 2021,

Bringing adaptation solutions to life: Inspiring climate adaptation action today for a resilient future. The 5th European Climate Change Adaptation Conference (ECCA 2021) took place from 25 May to 22 June 2021. A series of 9 webinars was organised from 25 May to 10 June, in the run-up to a high-level event on 22 June. This event was hosted by the European Commission, and co-organised by the European Commission, JPI Climate and three Horizon 2020 projects (SINCERE, CASCADES and RECEIPT).