Action for Adaptation: Our climate successes in Podluží

We have been working in Podluží in South Moravia for almost four years. Through our SOS Moravia collection, we helped rebuild damaged homes after a tornado and floods; we also focused on the surrounding landscape. Due to intensive agriculture, the landscape is losing its fertility and has become susceptible to erosion and drought. Sudden natural events threaten the local communities.

In addition to our activities in Dolní Bojanovice, we began working with the local community on climate action plans (CAPs) for the village and its surroundings. These CAPs identify places where—often low-cost— measures can significantly improve the microclimate, make the area more pleasant for the inhabitants, or reduce energy consumption while increasing the area's resilience. Today, these activities are also possible thanks to our participation in the international EUKI ELCA project.

Moravská Nová Ves and Prušánky already have their climate action plans

Almost exactly one year after signing the agreement on the development of adaptation strategies, we handed over their climate action plans to two municipalities a few days ago. Both the municipality of Prušánky and especially the neighbouring Moravská Nová Ves, whose centre was literally blown away by a tornado on June 24, 2021, are strident in taking measures to counter the impacts of climate change and to make the municipality even more pleasant.

In cooperation with the Adapterra team of the Partnership Foundation, which prepared the strategic document, public meetings were first organised with citizens. We talked about the entire municipality and discussed places that are valuable and visited, but also places where improvement would be appropriate tand would increase ecological value and attractiveness. This was followed by a detailed study of the entire area, including many field surveys and, for example, thermal imaging of overheated areas. 

After discussions with municipal leadership, active citizens and groups, a whole range of measures were proposed, the implementation of which will help municipalities, for example:

• improve the microclimate of public spaces by increasing the proportion of greenery and developing blue-green infrastructure in urban areas, but also by properly caring for front gardens or creating a green belt around the municipality
• reduce the energy consumption of municipal buildings and, thus, the municipality's heating and energy costs
• improve soil and forest care and increase their retention capacity through nature-friendly measures and proper practices
• increase biodiversity and reduce wind erosion by planting avenues and windbreaks
• increase the availability and use of water in the landscape and settlements, and slow down its runoff from the landscape
• reduce traffic congestion, green up and increase the permeability of parking lots for water infiltration or naturally slow down traffic with small measures in risky sections

In addition, all proposed measures are accompanied by subsidy opportunities suitable for the implementation.

Municipal councils and town councils will now discuss the climate action plans. After their approval, we will work together to implement them.

Hodonín progress

Almost thirty representatives of various departments of the Hodonín city council and city-run organisations (ZOO Hodonín, TESPRA Hodonín, Lázně Hodonín or the House of Nature Hodonínské Dúbravy) came to hear a presentation of the draft of the emerging climate strategy. During a two-hour meeting, there was also a discussion with the drafters from the Partnership Foundation.

The two-hour meeting, attended by the Mayor, Libor Střecha, and the Deputy Mayor, Ondřej Fialík, was another activity developed with our financial support for adaptation and mitigation measures. These measures significantly contribute to improving the management of energy, water, city property, and greenery. They will help the city adapt to the impacts of climate change.

EUKI ELCA Community Climate Action Support Centres

These centres were established in the spring of 2024 in Hodonín and Timişoara as a space for meetings of the local active public, representatives of municipalities, experts and various initiatives with the aim of supporting and developing local climate protection projects. They are intended to help disseminate and share information and experience and also function as a platform for the future establishment of a regional Climate Council. From the beginning, the Hodonín office of People in Need has been engaged in direct assistance to municipalities in the South Moravian region of Podluží affected by drought, flash floods and tornadoes. Today, as a climate community centre, EUKI ELCA offers municipalities, among other things, the creation of climate action plans.
More here: https://www.euki-elca.net/activities/community-support-centre