Proposals should specifically address how the most vulnerable groups in relation to their age, gender, health, socio-economic status or other social vulnerability characteristic would be catered for. This should include how these groups are identified; how they are meaningfully included in the development of the adaptation actions (process); and in what ways they are expected to benefit from these actions (outcome).

Regional and/or local authorities should be directly involved in the development of equity-oriented policies and measures so as to assure their up-take during the course of the project and their continuous application beyond the end of the project. As a limited capacity and availability for engagement of the target groups might prevent them from directly participating in the consortium, the proposal should include specific considerations on how to ensure that insights from the target group are reflected in the project; how solutions can be co-designed with the target group; and on how the outcomes and results can be used on the ground.

Under the Mission approach, collaborations to develop and test effective solutions between regions/local authorities/communities facing similar challenges are highly encouraged and considered as a means to secure a larger impact. To this purpose, while the required demonstration is expected to take place in at least three regions / local communities, the proposals should already identify other regions/local communities/ communities, where reapplication of the proposed approach will be suitable as sharing common climate change challenges. Inclusion already in the proposal of at least three “replicating” regions/local authorities/communities, interested in reapplying the lessons learnt (totally, partially or with the required adjustments) in their territories is required; this could take the form of inclusion in the consortium of one or more partners providing support for the technical exchanges and the knowledge uptake in the “replicating” regions. Replicating regions are not expected to also conduct a demonstration or carry out on the ground activities in the course of the project but they should at least prepare in the course of the project the theoretical framework for implementing the replication through the lessons exchanged with the demonstration regions.