Position Paper – Gaps and Opportunities for Better Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation

As the climate crisis intensifies, cities and regions face the dual challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change (adaptation). Despite the clear interconnections between these two approaches, policy frameworks, funding structures, and governance mechanisms often treat them as separate, sometimes even competing, priorities. The European Union’s two flagship initiatives - namely the Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (“Cities Mission”) and the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change (“Adaptation Mission”) – offer a key opportunity to bridge this divide. By fostering synergies and integrated action, the Missions can support a holistic approach that advances both mitigation and adaptation efforts across European cities and regions.
The Thematic Working Group (TWG) on Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation has sought to address this gap by fostering dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. Through a series of internal and external workshops held between May 2024 and March 2025—particularly in collaboration with Adaptation and Cities Mission projects—the TWG has identified key gaps and opportunities for integrating these two essential aspects of climate action.