On 3-4 September, EnEffect took part in a working meeting under the TICCA4DANU project, organised by Burgas Municipality in its role as a demonstration city, together with the Burgas Regional Administration. One of the main topics of the event was the presentation of the activities of AdaptationHubs – a European initiative aimed at coordinating and supporting multilevel governance for climate change adaptation.

EnEffect is the national partner in AdaptationHubs and coordinates the National Adaptation Hub for Bulgaria under the project – a network of 27 expert organisations from across the EU working to establish and strengthen adaptation structures. In Bulgaria, key institutions and stakeholders have already been identified, enabling the project to move forward and support local authorities in processes related to coordination and the exchange of good practices. The activities of the National Trust EcoFund in the field of climate change and its support for local authorities were also presented during the meeting.

A meeting dedicated to sharing experience and strengthening cooperation between institutions

The event was opened by Mihail Nenov, Deputy Mayor of Burgas Municipality, and Veselin Anestiev, Deputy Regional Governor, who highlighted the importance of strategic planning, concrete adaptation measures and, above all, the need for local administrations to work more closely and in a coordinated manner. This was also at the heart of the AdaptationHubs presentation: sharing experience, learning from the experience of municipalities in the Burgas region, and bringing institutions, administrations and people closer together as they increasingly face the consequences of extreme climate events.

The Burgas region has direct and painful experience of such events:

• the floods in Tsarevo in 2023, which caused severe material damage and claimed four lives;
• the floods in Tsarevo in 2025, which resulted in material losses;
• the floods in Elenite, Nessebar Municipality, in 2025, which caused material damage and claimed four lives.

These cases clearly demonstrate that adaptation cannot be postponed and that regional and local authorities need better coordination, prevention and resource sharing.

Crisis simulation: exposing gaps in communication and coordination

A key element of the meeting was a practical simulation of a flood-related crisis situation. It involved representatives of the Regional Administration; the municipalities of Burgas, Sozopol, Pomorie, Tsarevo and Karnobat; the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water; the Regional Forestry Directorate; the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection; the Bulgarian Red Cross; the meteorological service; environmental organisations; and insurers.

Participants examined the roles and responsibilities of the different institutions, mechanisms for exchanging information, and the actions required in the event of an emergency.

The simulation clearly exposed a number of gaps in communication, coordination and the sequencing of processes.It demonstrated that, in a real crisis, a lack of coordination between institutions can result in delays, ineffective action and further damage.

A particularly important conclusion concerned the role of businesses: the equipment, machinery and resources available to private companies can prove crucial during the first hours of a crisis. Including businesses in emergency response plans in advance could prevent a number of delays and help reduce damage.

Burgas Municipality’s GIS platform: potential for sharing and scaling up

During the event, the team from Burgas municipal company Innovation Systems presented the municipality’s GIS platform, which can also be used to help prevent and reduce risks associated with climate-related disasters. The platform provides tools for spatial analysis, territorial management and decision-making support.

Participants agreed that this experience could be shared with smaller municipalities in the region, rather than each municipality developing a separate system.

Lessons learned and next steps

At the end of the meeting, participants discussed the lessons learned and opportunities for closer cooperation between the Regional Administration, local authorities, businesses and the non-governmental sector. The next steps towards improving planning, coordination and preparedness for climate and natural hazards were also outlined.

The event in Burgas demonstrated that sharing experience and strengthening cooperation between different stakeholders are key to effective adaptation. The practical simulation also showed that clear communication, advance preparation and the involvement of businesses can be decisive in reducing the damage caused by future crises.

Presentations:

TiCCA4DANU – Climate Risks and Adaptation in the Burgas Region – presentation of the project and work at regional level, including GIS, risks and coordination – Mihail Nenov, Veselin Anestiev

TiCCA4DANU – Climate Adaptation and Opportunities for Cities and Regions – Stanimir Apostolov, Burgas Municipality

The Role of Insurance in Climate Adaptation: Alternative Risk Transfer – Hristo Sharkov, GrECo Bulgaria

Private Sector Adaptation in the Burgas Region – Miha Škrokov, Anteja ECG

National Adaptation Hub – AdaptationHubs – Maria Manolova