Mid-mountain adaptation to climate change

The main objective of LIFE MIDMACC is to promote climate change adaptation in marginal mid-mountain areas of Spain, while improving socioeconomic development.The project has the following specific objectives:* develop and implement landscape adaptation in marginal mid-mountain areas to improve their environmental and socio-economic resilience to climate change;* assess the socio-economic and ecologic effectiveness of such measures, working across sectors and at multiple scales and determining related implications through widespread monitoring and modelling;* involve key managers and economic and environmental agents in the design, development and assessment processes and work to get affected regional committees involved early in decision making;* create a coordinated policy framework among regional governments to improve the sustainable use of marginal mid-mountain areas;* develop integrated climate change adaptation guidelines for mid-mountain areas;* raise awareness at local and regional levels about societal and environmental climate change adaptation in mountainous areas; and* support how European policies on climate change adaptation in mountainous rural areas are applied and developed.Expected results:1. nine pilot experiences completed using three climate change adaptation approaches:o scrubland clearing for extensive livestock farming leading to increased water runoff, reduced soil erosion, greater pasture diversity and nutritional value; o forest management to reduce fire risk and manage extensive livestock farming to increase carbon uptake and water runoff and reduce wildfire risk; o vineyard management practices enabling reduced water consumption and more efficient rainfall use while maintaining carbon uptake.2. at regional and national levels in the area of study: o three regional stakeholder committees and one supra-regional working group established; o one cross-sectoral climate change vulnerability assessment conducted, based on current climate state and climate change predictions; o previous adaptation practices in mid-mountain areas compiled and evaluated; o scale-up the results of the pilot monitoring to the river basin level; o guidelines created on integrated climate change adaptation for marginal or more vulnerable mid-mountain areas.3. at European level: o three replicability activities in other Euro-Mediterranean mountain regions conducted; o one handbook created on lessons learned.