Publication Name

Risk of epidemics due to appearance of new

vector-borne diseases.

Only Albania and FYR Macedonia are integrating

integrating surveillance and protection systems for

climate change-related communicable diseases that

represent a threat to public health.

Risk of displacement of populations following

flooding events.

In the event ofmajor disasters, the EUCivil Protection

Mechanism (covering Croatia, Montenegro, FYR

Macedonia, and Serbia) helps the population of the

Western Balkans to deal with possible displacement.

However, there is no specific integration of climate change

adaptation in the provisions of post-disaster recovery.

Nor do cities seem to have post-disaster

reconstruction plans. However, several urban areas

such as Dubrovnik (Croatia) can take advantage of

a programme that provides shelters for the use of

civil society associations, who are expected to join

emergency operations during times of crisis.

• Inadequate regional/national policy coverage

for adaptation to new diseases

• Lack of/limited institutional coordination

across sectors

• Lack of awareness of new diseases as public

safety issues triggered by climate change

• Inadequate

regional/national/local

policy

coverage for adaptation and post-flood recovery

• Lack of/limited institutional coordination

across sectors

• Potential lack of adequate vertical integration

from EU to local administrations

Key Policy gaps:

Risk of water shortages, and water supply

outages in major urban areas due to reduced

river run-off.

Water scarcity and outages in cities can turn into

a public safety issue and cause health-related

consequences. Several cities within BiH, Croatia,

FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia are

improving their water resources management

practices (including water recycling and water-

efficient appliances), and engaging in grey adaptation

actions (modernizing networks, building dams and

reservoirs, and wastewater treatment plants for

residential areas) to reduce losses and secure water

supply. Soft actions involve establishing information

exchange mechanisms among the various institutions

dealing with water resources. In the case of water

scarcity, conflicts over the use of this resource may

arise among different sectors such as hydropower

generation, agriculture, drinking water, tourism,

fish-farming, etc.

• Potential inter-sectoral conflicts to manage the

risk of water shortages and the use of water

• Lack of awareness of water scarcity in urban

areas as a public safety issue triggered by

climate change

Key Policy gaps:

Displacement of population

• Risk not addressed by existing policies

Mayor’s Adapt (the Covenant of Mayors Initiative

on Adaptation to Climate Change) informs,

mobilizes and supports local authorities to take

action on adapting to climate impacts. Cities

signing up to the initiative commit to:

• contribute to a more climate-resilient Europe

• develop local adaptation strategies within the

first two years of signing, and

• review the outcomes every six months.

By joining, local/regional authorities can benefit

from theMayors Adapt Helpdesk, from the Urban

Adaptation technical Support Tool, from the

exchange of best practices with other European

cities as well as from information about funding

opportunities. Currently, Daruvar in Croatia is

part of this initiative.

For more information, please visit http://mayors-

adapt.eu

Urban adaptation – Mayors Adapt

Initiative

GOOD PRACTICES

Obrenovac, Serbia