Climate ChangePathways2Resilience: Resilience and Climate Adaptation in Southern Serbia
Overview
Across Southern Serbia, floods, droughts and heatwaves call for a coordinated approach to climate adaptation. The RECAPSS project brings together the Toplica, Nišava and Pirot regions to identify shared priorities and plan practical responses to climate risks.
Led by the Regional Development Agency SOUTH, RECAPSS brings together the Platform for Energy Transition (PET) and SmartUp under the Pathways2Resilience programme. The partnership is working towards a Regional Climate Resilience Strategy, Action Plan and Investment Plan, with research, stakeholder engagement and capacity building informing the process.
SmartUp supports the participatory and capacity-building work. We introduce regional stakeholders to the Regional Resilience Journey, facilitate consultations and workshops, provide guidance on climate adaptation planning and connect the region with peers in the wider programme.
The challenge
Facing interconnected climate risks
Floods, droughts and heatwaves create different but connected adaptation challenges across Southern Serbia. The region needs to consider these risks together when setting priorities.
Building a shared regional approach
Local authorities, experts, civil society and communities need opportunities to identify common priorities and develop solutions that respond to different local contexts
Moving from research to investment
Climate data and local knowledge need to inform practical adaptation measures, coordinated plans and investment priorities that can guide future action.
Activities and methods
Working with the Regional Development Agency SOUTH and PET, SmartUp supports participatory planning and capacity building as the region follows the Pathways2Resilience approach.
What we do
Our work includes:
- Introducing the Regional Resilience Journey by helping regional partners understand and follow the programme’s step-by-step approach to climate adaptation.
- Facilitating stakeholder participation by supporting consultations and workshops where institutions, experts and communities identify shared risks and priorities.
- Strengthening regional capacity through training and guidance on climate risk assessment, governance, climate finance, monitoring and learning.
- Supporting peer learning by connecting the region with other participants in the Pathways2Resilience programme to exchange experience and approaches.
Wider partnership: The project combines climate research and data collection, stakeholder workshops and training, and explores nature-based adaptation solutions across Southern Serbia.
Impact and learning
The partnership plans to develop three connected regional planning documents:
- Climate Resilience Strategy: Sets a shared direction for climate adaptation across the Toplica, Nišava and Pirot regions, informed by regional risks and priorities.
- Climate Resilience Action Plan: Translates agreed climate resilience priorities into proposed measures and steps for implementation.
- Climate Resilience Investment Plan: Identifies investment priorities and potential financing approaches for long-term climate adaptation.
The project also aims to establish a monitoring approach to help local partners track resilience progress and inform future climate adaptation decisions.
Gallery
Related Projects
Pathways2Resilience: Resilient Kumanovo: Building Kumanovo’s Climate Readiness
The Municipality of Kumanovo is working with SmartUp to strengthen its climate resilience, focusing on flooding, stormwater management, drought and water scarcity. Through Pathways2Resilience, SmartUp supports baseline assessment, stakeholder engagement, participatory planning and capacity building, helping the municipality develop a Climate Resilience Strategy, Action Plan and Investment Plan to guide future adaptation measures and investments.
Learn more
Pathways2Resilience: Resilient Sarajevo
Sarajevo is working towards a coordinated response to flooding, extreme heat and drought, with the Miljacka River corridor as a priority. Led by the City of Sarajevo through Pathways2Resilience, the project brings together climate evidence, institutions and stakeholders. SmartUp and Korimako provide methodological and planning support for developing a Climate Resilience Strategy, Action Plan and Investment Plan.
Learn more
Planning similar work?
SmartUp can support research, co-creation, facilitation, digital tools, implementation, or learning documentation for related programmes.