Selected Resources

Pic by Kelly Sikkema

In this section you will find selected information on climate change adaptation in protected areas. It should help anyone who is willing to start integrating climate change into its management practice. 

If you do not find what you are looking for, just ask. We’re here to help.

Selected methodologies & guidelines

EUROPARC-Spain: “Manual 13 – A Manual on Climate Change Adaptation for Protected Areas” – 2018 – (EN & SP) Read more

Natural England: “Climate Change Adaptation Manual” – 2020 – (EN) Read more

European Commission: “Guidelines on Climate Change and Natura 2000” – 2014 – (DE, EN, FR) Read more

CMP – Open Standards for the practice of Conservation – “Conservation Standards Applied to Ecosystem-based Adaptation” – 2020 – Download

US National Wildlife Federation: Climate-smart Conservation : putting adaptation principles into practice – 2014 – (EN)  Read more

US National Wildlife Federation: Scanning the conservation horizon : A guide to climate change vulnerability assessment – 2011 – (EN) Read more

ADEME: Diagnostic de vulnérabilité d’un territoire au changement climatique – 2012 – (FR) Read more

WWF: Méthodologie d’adaptation au changement climatique pour les aires protégées (CAMPA) : Côtières et Marines. Changement de Marées – 2016 – (FR) Download 

IUCN: Adapting to Climate Change : Guidance for protected area managers and planners – 2016 – (EN) Read more

European Climate Change Service

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) supports society by providing authoritative information about the past, present and future climate in Europe and the rest of the World.

Discover Copernicus Climate Change Service

Protected Areas and Climate Change European Policies, towards a policy paper.

Climate Change is on the political agenda, at all levels. But what is the legislative framework at a EU level? To make it easier to grasp, EUROPARC’s policy office put together a concise overview of the topic. Read it here

Today, EU policies are focusing on greenhouses gases emissions. Research and experience show that Protected Areas have a central role to play in the transition towards a nature-inclusive and climate-resilient society. Well-managed Protected Areas safeguard biodiversity and natural processes that are also essential to support the adaptive capacity of ecosystems and communities outside Protected Areas. The EUROPARC Task Force on Climate Change has released a discussion paper on “Protected Areas and the European Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity”

This paper is a modest contribution by the EUROPARC Task force on Climate Change to accelerate the transition towards a nature-inclusive and climate-resilient society. Through a couple of suggestions, it aims at kick starting a dialogue to bridge the gap between climate change adaptation and nature conservation communities. 

Read it now

Protected Areas and Climate Change, White Paper

This White Paper details recommendations for better integration of climate adaptation in policy and practice for Protected Areas in Europe. It was developed within the Natur’Adapt project and calls upon European decision-makers and national authorities to facilitate the co-design of integrated, long-term and large-scale environment management and spatial planning. Within this process, Protected Areas should play an essential role. The White Paper provides four recommendations on how to make the most of our protected spaces in Climate Adaptation planning.

Read it now

French version

European survey results:

Integrating climate change into the management of protected natural areas. Existing initiatives and expectations of managers in Europe

This report presents the results of a survey conducted in early 2019 as part of the LIFE NaturAdapt project. This preparatory action aimed to identify existing initiatives and to clarify the expectations and needs of European protected area managers to integrate climate change adaptation into management practice.

Read the summary in English

Read the full survey report in French

EUROPARC Webinars
on climate change adaptation in protected areas

Climate change webinar series

Oct 21, 2020 [Ep.3] : Climate change adaptation in Protected Areas – From theory to practice. Go to webinar details

April 28, 2020 [Ep. 2]: Protected Areas in a Changing Climate: a SWOT analysis. Go to webinar details

Nov 27, 2019 [Ep 1]: Setting the scene: Nature conservation in a changing climate. Go to webinar details

Digital Siggen Seminar 2020 – webinars

March 23-25, 2020

Read the highlights or access the recordings and presentations here

Our house is on fire! A word from on climate change and biodiversity loss. By Ignace Schops, President, EUROPARC

Climate change and nature protected areas. A seminar, a LIFE Project and the results of a European survey by O. de Sadeleer, EUROPARC

Elements of methodology and key concepts. Formalising key concepts definitions and elements of methodology for climate change adaptation in protected areas. A-C. Tissot, Réserves Naturelles de France

Climate Change Risk assessment and vulnerability diagnostic. Case study: “Risk assessment of Scottish protected areas features to climate change” S. Pritchard, Scottish Nature Heritage

Planning for adaptation. Case study: Adapting the management of protected areas to climate change in the Basque Country Natura 2000 by A. Butron, Ihobe – Sociedad Pública de Gestión Ambiental

Implementing the measures, an opportunity to cooperate Case study: Climate change adaptation in the Portofino Marine Protected Area, how to collaborate with local stakeholders By L. Merotto, Portofino MPA

Integration of the regulatory context. Case Study: Climate change and biodiversity conservation. Which synergies in the current legal framework of France? by P. Strosser, Acteon

EUROPARC Annual Conference 2020 – Online Workshop on climate change

Sept 09, 2020

Read the outcomes or directly download the presentation material below

Véronique Lebourgeois, Parc naturel régional du Morvan – Réserve naturelle des Tourbières du Morvan, France – download

Iris Lochon, Syndicat mixte du Parc naturel régional des Volcans d’Auvergne – Réserve de Chastreix-Sancy, France – download

Juliette Dané, Asters, Conservatoire des espaces naturels de Haute-Savoie – Réserve de Sixt-Passy, France – download

Emilien Bastian, LPO – Réserve de Lilleau des Niges, France – download

Kenzo Héas, Fédération des réserves naturelles catalanes- Réserve de la Massane, France – download

Discussions with members

Helping nature adapt to climate change, or is it the other way around?
Dec 2020 – Protected Areas In-Sight, The Journal of the EUROPARC Federation, PA in-sight Vol 12 (pp. 24-27) – Download in EN, DE, FR (Print version available upon request)

“Helping Protected Areas adapt to climate change”
Oct 2020 – EUROPARC 20 : Workshop outcomes – Read now

“Helping protected areas adapt to a changing climate”
Mar 2020 – Siggen Seminar program highlights – Read now

“Adapting to climate change – Ideas from the field”
Mar 2020 – Siggen Seminar – Participant discussion – Read now

“Climate change adaptation for Protected Area managers – discussing solution”
Dec 2019 – EUROPARC 19 – Read now

“How are Protected Areas adapting to climate change?”
Dec 2019 – EUROPARC 19PA in-sight Vol 11 (pp. 16-19) – Download in EN, DE, FR (Print version available upon request)