Guidelines for Climate Change Adaptation at the local level in the Alps

This short publication on local adaptation to climate change has been promoted by Italy during our Presidency of the Alpine Convention in 2013-2014 aiming to provide a guidance for local administrations and private actors tackling adaptation to climate change and as a contribution to the global debate on climate change before the UNFCC COP21 in Paris. The Guidelines for local adaptation to climate change in the Alpine region have been prepared on the basis of the analysis of climate impacts and taking note of the demand of regional and local administrations across the Alps – by following a practice-oriented approach. Since the Alps, that are the mountain range Italy shares with other seven European countries, are a fragile ecosystem, exposed to significant climate-induced risks and characterised by a deep diversity, they require shared policies where spatial planning plays a central role.