In this new article we present and give news of the latest developments in the MONTCLIMA project, in which OPCC-CTP is acting as the main beneficiary partner.

The MONTCLIMA Project focuses on the study and prevention of natural risks in mountain areas of the territory within the European programme of territorial cooperation dedicated to Southwest Europe (SUDOE) and has a budget of 1,401,811 euros. The territorial scope of the SUDOE includes all the Spanish Autonomous Communities (except the Canary Islands), the regions of southwest France (Auvergne, Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine), the continental regions of Portugal, the United Kingdom (Gibraltar) and the Principality of Andorra. Thus, the partners of our project represent the French and Spanish part of the Pyrenees (Atlantic Pyrenees, Occitanie, Euskadi, Catalonia), Andorra, Castile and Leon, and the northern areas of Portugal.

This territory is, and will be, one of the territories in the world most affected by climate change (more severe droughts, higher average temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns) and is made up of many countries that cannot act alone in the face of this situation.

Through this project, the aim is to achieve transnational coordination in order to try to act as efficiently as possible and to generate lessons from the experiences of each one. For this purpose the project has four main objectives. Capitalisation of successful cases of forms of governance and practical initiatives of prevention and management of natural risks is the first one. The design of a methodology for the elaboration of a transnational strategic framework for risk prevention and management in SUDOE mountain areas is the second objective. The third consists of testing the transnational strategic framework in pilot territories for the risks mentioned.

The last working axis is the transfer, communication and dissemination of results and tools. An important number of transfer seminars in the different territories are programmed although the impacts of the health crisis COVID19 have caused the postponement to October 2020 of the first one planned in Soria. However, the partner meetings continue their dynamic using technological platforms which allows to advance in the more theoretical aspects of the project.

The Interreg Sudoe Programme supports regional development in Southwest Europe, financing transnational projects through the FEDER Fund. Thus, it promotes transnational cooperation to address common problems of the regions in that territory, such as low investment in research and development, low competitiveness of small and medium enterprises and exposure to climate change and environmental risks.

More about this project on the MONTCLIMA website.

More information on the Interreg Sudoe Programme.