The Inter-Municipal Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change of AMAL (PIAAC-AMAL) focuses on the identification of the main current and future climate vulnerabilities, as well as on the study of possible adaptation strategies for the municipalities that make up the Intermunicipal Community of Algarve (AMAL). The intervention area encompasses 16 municipalities: Albufeira, Alcoutim, Aljezur, Castro Marim, Faro, Lagoa, Lagos, Loulé, Monchique, Olhão, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Silves, Tavira, Vila do Bispo and Vila Real de Santo António.

Taking into account the sectoral areas defined in the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (ENAAC), PIAAC-AMAL identifies current and future vulnerabilities for a range of descriptors, including forests, coastal zones, the safety of people and human health. The plan also defines possible adaptation measures, taking into account the environmental and social specificities of the Algarve, as well as guidelines for the Territorial Planning Instruments at regional, intermunicipal and municipal levels.

The consortium responsible for the preparation of the PIAAC-AMAL is led by FCiências.ID, of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FC-ULisboa) – Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Modeling group (CCIAM), integrated in the Center of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) – and also made up of the Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA) of the University of Algarve and Bentley Systems Portugal.

ICS-ULisboa was responsible for conducting broad stakeholder consultation workshops on current vulnerabilities (workshop IB, March 2018) and future vulnerabilities and adaptation (workshop IIB, June 2018). These workshops aimed at collecting inputs from key actors on the climate impacts affecting the region, the vulnerability of different social groups and sectors, and possible adaptation measures to be implemented. They included, among others, representatives of public institutions (e.g. health, civil protection, culture, environment), economic agents (e.g. sectoral associations and companies), academic experts, environmental and local development associations.

It was also the responsibility of ICS-ULisboa to prepare a document with guidelines for the integration of climate adaptation into regional and local spatial planning.

PIAAC-AMAL is supported by EU funds, through the thematic Operational Programme “Sustainability and Efficiency in the Use of Resources”.

Luísa Schmidt, (coord.), João Ferrão, Carla Gomes, João Mourato