NATALIE project has contributed to the new Briefing Note on Improving Collaboration and Experience Sharing in Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement, developed by the Thematic Working Group on Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement, part of the EU Mission on Climate Adaptation Community of Practice.
This document brings together key reflections, good practices, and lessons learned from a wide range of EU Mission projects and regions, with the goal of supporting local and regional authorities across Europe in placing communities at the heart of climate adaptation strategies.
What is the Briefing Note about?
This Briefing Note aims to:
- Share experiences on citizen and stakeholder engagement in Climate Adaptation from the Mission Task Working Group projects;
- Support and encourage the use of online platforms to share knowledge, improve efficiency in learning from others, and reduce duplication of efforts.
- Introduce the Agora Community Hub as a platform for discussions around sharing knowledge and experiences across the mission's network, helping Projects, Regional and Local Authorities, and citizen groups to contribute to a Europeanwide “Catalogue of tools and platforms”.
How did NATALIE contribute?
NATALIE’s contribution to this publication highlights its Transformation Labs (TLs) and Case Studies, where Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are being co-developed in close collaboration with local stakeholders. These field experiences reflect NATALIE’s strong commitment to inclusive governance, community empowerment, and shared ownership of adaptation strategies. We emphasized the importance of:
- Aligning engagement with local context and values;
- Leveraging trusted local facilitators and community champions;
- Embedding participation into decision-making and policy processes;
- Ensuring visibility and impact from citizen contributions.
Key messages from the Briefing Note: Summary & Conclusions
The Briefing Note closes with three strategic recommendations for enhancing climate resilience through citizen and stakeholder engagement:
- Enhance Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement in Climate Adaptation Regional, local, and EU-level authorities should actively support engagement efforts to ensure climate adaptation is both sustainable and inclusive.
- Strengthen, Utilize and Sustain Knowledge Exchange Platforms RLAs are encouraged to use long-term platforms like the Agora Community Hub to share knowledge, track integration with policy frameworks, and support community-driven strategies. These platforms can reduce duplication, enhance transparency, and make room for cross-project synergies.
- Encourage Cross-Sectoral Collaboration and Share Resources Effectively
Authorities should actively engage in networks and events, such as the Climate Adaptation Platform (CAP) webinar series and the EU Mission Adaptation to Climate Change Community of Practice , to foster cross-sectoral and transnational collaborations.
At NATALIE, we see this collaborative work as a stepping stone toward resilient, people-centered climate action. We are committed to deepening our engagement strategies, sharing what works, and learning from others in the Mission community.