Photo credit: TiCCA4DANU
On 26–27 June 2025, the University of Vienna hosted the inaugural General Assembly of the TiCCA4DANU project, a Horizon Europe initiative focused on advancing Climate Change Adaptation in the Danube Region. The two-day event gathered project partners, city and regional representatives, and experts from across Europe to launch a new phase of collaboration and learning.
A highlight of the Assembly were the pitching sessions led by the four anchor City-Regions and their cross-border partners. These provided first-hand perspectives on the climate-related challenges they face and set the stage for developing transformative solutions.
A central theme of the meeting was the introduction of Local Green Deals (LGDs) — collaborative, place-based strategies that bring together governments, businesses, citizens, and civil society to implement the European Green Deal at local level. Presentations from ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and practical examples from Szombathely, Hungary, demonstrated the value of LGDs in translating sustainability goals into action.
The General Assembly also tested new formats for mutual learning, enabling city-regions and researchers to jointly explore climate risks, innovation ecosystems, and adaptation strategies. Keynote speaker Prof. Dominique Foray (EPFL) underscored the importance of Transformative Innovation Policies (TIPs) as dynamic frameworks for systemic change, with governments acting as orchestrators of adaptation.
A defining moment of the event was the project’s recognition as a “Danube Strategy Flagship” under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). Presented by Dr. Jaroslava Szudi, this designation confirms TiCCA4DANU’s strategic importance and strengthens its capacity to shape regional policy and practice.
“This award reinforces our ambition to build a robust and collaborative partner network across the Danube region,” said Project Coordinator Dr. Oliver Ziegler. “It affirms that the project’s outcomes should reach well beyond the initial pilot City-Regions.”
The Vienna Assembly marked a significant step forward in TiCCA4DANU’s journey to deliver transformative, place-based climate adaptation across the Danube Region — driven by science, local action, and shared ambition.
For the full details of the event and official announcements, read our press release here.
Photo credit: TiCCA4DANU
