ASTRA conference Klaipeda, 18-19 May 2006
The first international ASTRA conference "Are we prepared to cope with climate changes?- Consequences of the winter storm 2005" took place in Klaipeda.
This conference was organized as a joint activity of two projects - "Developing Policies and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region"(ASTRA) and "Awareness Raising Campaign on Climate Change".The conference was financed and supported by the BSR Interreg IIIB Neighborhood Program, the British Embassy in Lithuania and Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania.
Aimed at raising awareness on climate change in the Baltic Sea Region, the conference used the winter storm 2005 to discuss climate change impacts in the region. Over 70 representatives of science and research institutions, local authorities, non-governmental organizations and companies from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, United Kingdom and United States of America participated.
The first series of workshops focussed on:- State of the art of climate impact research in the Baltic Sea Region
- Adaptation strategies existing in the Baltic Sea Region
- Results of the study on the impacts of winter storm 2005
The European dimension of climate change was a major focal point of the conference. Starting from the overview of the EU climate change policy, delegates learnt about other European climate change related projects carried out in Europe. The third session of the conference concentrated mainly on climate change and spatial planning issues. Participants of the conference learnt about general principles of strategic and spatial planning in Lithuania, as well as management of the Lithuanian coast of the Baltic Sea.
Two workshops were also organised for the second day of the conference:- The first workshop concentrated on the first climate impact research results achieved at local and regional levels in the ASTRA project.
- The second workshop focussed on the issue of awareness raising of planners, decision makers and the general public. The necessity to further raise awareness of local stakeholders on climate change issues (the problem, mitigation and adaptation), as well as to improve a dialogue and cooperation between local stakeholders and scientists was raised during the conference.