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Short Abstract

Engaging vulnerable communities in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Sweden: highlighting challenges, methods, and lessons learnt in making climate adaptation inclusive and responsive. The experience of the Adaptation AGORA project in collecting voices and insights from local adaptation pathways.

Abstract

Reaching communities most vulnerable to climate impacts remains a major challenge for inclusive adaptation. Too often, the voices of marginalised or “hard-to-reach” groups are absent from decision-making, despite being disproportionately affected. The Adaptation AGORA project addressed this challenge through four pilots in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Sweden, each engaging communities often excluded from adaptation processes, rural residents, migrants, or socially vulnerable urban groups.

The project combined citizen engagement, participatory tools, and co-creation to reduce barriers to involvement, tailoring engagement to local realities. Building trust and adapting methods proved essential, yet the pilots also revealed persistent difficulties: vulnerabilities are not always easy to identify, and genuine participation demands time, resources, and cultural sensitivity. Crucially, the work showed that “hard-to-reach” is not a fixed category but a context-dependent condition shaped by social and institutional dynamics.

To share these lessons, Voice of Climate Adaptation, an online storytelling platform, was developed to amplify the perspectives of community members and practitioners. This outreach product collects testimonies and practical insights, turning lived experiences into resources for future adaptation efforts.

The session will present the methods, challenges, and achievements of Adaptation AGORA, reflecting on what it takes to ensure meaningful inclusion rather than tokenistic engagement. By linking practice with lessons learned, the project advances Theme 2 of the conference: Citizen science and inclusion. Experience demonstrates that equitable adaptation is possible when processes are flexible, participatory, trusted and responsive.