With New Year greetings from BwB’s CEO, Rupesh Madlani, and renewed resolve for climate-resilient futures, the first issue of the Adaptation Brief for 2026 opens the year with a clear message: climate adaptation is an urgent and essential investment priority.
Here’s an overview of this month’s issue:
The Adaptation Investment Ledger
Bilbao's flood protection strategy
This month we highlight the multi-layered flood defence system developed by Bilbao in northern Spain, which combines green and grey infrastructure, long-term spatial planning, and real-time monitoring. A powerful example of how post-industrial cities can invest in resilience at scale.
Knowledge Corner
This month’s essential reads include:
- The latest insights from MIP4Adapt on the EU’s Adaptation Mission
- State and Trends in Adaptation Report 2025 for Small Island Developing States
- New research challenging how we measure urban adaptation success
- A new paper on AI tools supporting adaptation planning for smaller cities
Policy Spotlight
EU lawmakers reach political agreement on a binding 2040 emissions reduction target, reinforcing the critical link between mitigation ambition and adaptation needs.
January events to watch
From Horizon Europe Info Days to UNEP FI’s webinar on measuring adaptation impact, January offers key opportunities for practitioners, policymakers, and investors to engage.
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