National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan by 2030.

This Bulgarian National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan until the year 2030 is a general reference document, setting a framework for climate change adaptation (CCA) action and priority directions up to 2030, identifying and confirming the need for climate adaptation action (economy-wide and sectoral levels), while underlining the consequences of a lack of action. The aim of the Strategy is to serve as a reference document, setting a framework for climate change adaptation action and priority directions.
The structure of the document is prospected as follows: Chapter 1 outlines the risks of climate change and the vulnerability of the economic sectors (agriculture, forestry, biodiversity and ecosystems, water, energy, transport, urban environment, health, tourism and risk management of disasters, considered a cross-cutting theme), as well as cross-cutting relationships regarding these risks and vulnerabilities and the macroeconomic consequences of climate change. Chapter 2 examines the policy and institutional context of climate change in terms of stakeholder awareness and knowledge, legal and institutional frameworks, current actions and gaps and obstacles. As a basis for the development of strategic goals and actions, Chapter 3 presents an analysis of political, economic, social and technological aspects, of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), as well as guiding principles for the implementation of the strategy. Chapter 4 develops the strategic objectives, options and priorities for adaptation, presents the main findings of the cost-benefit analysis of the implementation of adaptation measures and considers cross-cutting issues and financial resources. The National Program and the Action Plan are developed in Chapter 5, including operational objectives and specific actions. Chapter 6 presents the conclusions on what is to be done in the implementation of the Strategy and the Action Plan and includes the proposed measures for monitoring and reporting. Several appendices provide additional details on specific topics. Annex 1 explains the climate scenarios in the Bulgarian context. Annex 2 contains further analysis of cross-sectoral relationships in relation to climate change risks and vulnerability. Annex 3 contains the full tables of the Sector Action Plans, including details of the proposed responsible institutions, resources, timelines, targets and monitoring indicators. Annex 4 provides a list of the sector evaluation reports. Finally, the nine sectoral assessment reports, the Disaster Risk Management Assessment Report and the Macroeconomic Implications of Climate Change Report are also presented as annexes to this document. A set of strategic objectives for each sector have also been developed to address the adaptation needs in specific sectors. These address common themes to the general strategic objectives given earlier. A set of operational objectives and proposed adaptation activities, related to the specific strategic objectives of each sector, have also been developed. Activities which are assessed as priorities to start in the short term will be, in many cases, measures which enable and support following adaptation actions. This means that many of these priority actions across all sectors are soft measures (assessed as no cost or low cost) supporting the strategic and operational objectives related to (a) building institutional capacity (including through addressing knowledge gaps), (b) mainstreaming and integrating CCA into existing national and sectoral plans and programs, and (c) raising awareness. These will provide the foundation for medium- and longer-term practical actions for building climate change resilience including through the management of infrastructure and assets, and the protection and enhancement of natural capital. Underpinning sector-based activities, a number of general coordinating and facilitating activities for the strategy and action plan are necessary to focus on delivering the general strategic objectives. In particular, the process of monitoring and reporting of progress in the implementation of the measures set out in the Action Plan is proposed.