Proposals should identify financially valuable cases of climate projects including climate adaptation dimension on top of other benefits, while safeguarding the principle of do-not significantly harm any environment objective (such as, biodiversity and ecosystems, freshwater etc). They should develop and test solutions, based on technological, social and / or business innovation, that deliver at once an increase of the resilience and adaptation capacity to climate change in the involved regions, cities, local authorities and communities, while also contributing to reduce or neutralise carbon emissions, improve water efficiency and/or safeguard biodiversity. To prove the financial viability of the proposed solutions, proposals should include business and/or investor partners and/or private sector actors (for example from the financial and / or insurance sector) in the consortium, interested in investing in the project (by participating directly in the consortium) as more resilient / less risky / more sustainable and assuring that they will maintaining the solutions in place beyond the duration of the project.

The proposed solution should address specific climate vulnerabilities identified as relevant at regional and local scale, with tailor-made responses and measures taking into account place-based data, socio-economic, identity characteristics and local governance.

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 demonstration is expected to take place in at least three regions, the proposals should already identify other regions/local authorities/ communities (sharing common climate challenges), where reapplication of the proposed approach will be suitable. 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 already in the course of the project but they should at least prepare, the theoretical framework for implementing the replication through the lessons exchanged with the demonstration regions.

Projects funded under this topic will get direct access to participate in the Mission Community of Practice and to the networking activities supported by the Mission Implementation Platform. These networking and joint activities could, for example, involve the participation in joint workshops, the exchange of knowledge, the development and adoption of best practices, or joint communication activities. To this extent, proposals should provide for dedicated activities and earmark appropriate resources.

In addition, projects will be requested to feed results and contribution to progress towards the objectives of the Mission Implementation Platform, as the central Mission action for monitoring, support and visualisation of the Mission progress in Regions in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Under the facilitation of Mission Implementation Platform, projects might provide an ideal space to improve cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on adaption finance. Regions participating in the projects will also be required to feed their results to the Climate-ADAPT and EEA assessments. Applicants should acknowledge this request and already account for these obligations in their proposal, making adequate provisions in terms of resources and budget to engage and collaborate with the Mission governance.