Aligning Regional Strategies with Climate Trends

This chapter examines the current and future climate trends at the macroscale of the Adriatic Basin, with a focus on the northern, central, and southern regions. It draws upon the findings of the Interreg Italy-Croatia RESPONSe project, synthesizing data from climate assessments and regional strategies. The overall objective is to prioritize adaptation and mitigation efforts based on the actual impacts of climate change. First, a review of observed climate impacts is provided, detailing changes in sea level, sea temperature, precipitation, wind, and air temperature from historical data. Then, projected impacts are discussed, using climate scenarios to forecast future changes in sea conditions, precipitation patterns, wind dynamics, air temperature, and tourism suitability. These projections should inform strategies across regions, indicating adaptations necessary to mitigate risks to coastal areas, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. The chapter emphasizes the significance of integrating scientific findings into regional planning to tailor responses to the distinctive characteristics of specific areas, thereby fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and dialogue between countries. The chapter is structured as follows. Section 8.1 outlines a comparison with regional strategies, highlighting alignment or gaps between observed trends and policy responses. Section 8.2 shifts to projected impacts, using climate scenarios to forecast future changes. The chapter concludes with a discussion and final considerations on the overall information collected (Sect. 8.3).