Organized by the Public Institution for Nature Protection of Osijek-Baranja County, the two-day ClimEmpower Conference titled "Empowering Regions Facing Climate Challenges" was held on February 6-7, 2025, at Hotel Osijek in Osijek (Croatia). This conference is part of the EU Horizon ClimEmpower project, with Croatian partners including the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Osijek-Baranja County, and the Public Institution for Nature Protection of Osijek-Baranja County. The conference's opening was attended by numerous prominent guests, including the Deputy Prefect of Osijek-Baranja County,
On January 4, 2024, the ClimEmpower project was featured in a recording for the Globalna Hrvatska (Global Croatia, Glas Hrvatske) program on Croatian national television (HTV). Project coordinator and Croatian team provided an overview of the priject, outlining its key objectives and expected outcomes over the three-year project duration and beyond.
BACKGROUND
Despite the growing availability of climate information, many regions still face challenges in obtaining clear, science-based adaptation and mitigation options. Climate risk depends on hazards, exposure, and vulnerability, with the latter two heavily influenced by knowledge and climate literacy. As a result, economically vulnerable regions often experience more significant impacts from global climate change, as wealthier areas have greater resources to address the issue.
MAIN CHALLENGE
ClimEmpower aims to assist five vulnerable European regions in Southern Europe facing a combination of severe climate-related hazards and limited coping capacity. These regions were selected to represent diverse climatic conditions and climate change-related risks, while also grappling with significant socioeconomic challenges such as economic stagnation, declining demographics, and high unemployment rates. The project’s focus will encompass addressing climate change impacts, developing adaptation strategies, and tackling ecological and socioeconomic issues based on the specific needs of these regions.
PROJECT GOAL
ClimEmpower is focused on addressing a context marked by ongoing global warming, high regional vulnerability, and limited coping capacity in participating regions. Its strategic objective is to empower Regional Authorities and other Mission Users in five EU regions facing both severe climate hazards and inadequate coping capacity. The project aims to enhance their collective understanding of climate change hazards, risks, and resilient development pathways. It will support knowledge-based regional planning and development by providing relevant data, knowledge, and user-friendly decision support applications.
