The Danube region is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in Europe. The international TiCCA4DANU project aims to use transformative innovation policy to bring climate change adaptation to the region in a systemic and equitable way. It thinks local - and European at the same time. INFRAS is part of the project team.
The Danube region is home to 115 million people and stretches from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. It faces increasing climate risks, including heatwaves, droughts, flooding and loss of biodiversity. However, many areas in the Danube region lack sufficient adaptive capacity and innovation infrastructure.
The project Transformative Innovation for Climate Change Adaptation in the Danube Region (TiCCA4DANU) takes up this challenge. A total of 18 partners and associated partners - including INFRAS - are involved in the project, which is being carried out as part of the EU's Horizon Europe program.
Project looks beyond city and national borders
Ticca4DANU aims to support adaptation to climate change in the Danube region in a systemic and just way. The project focuses on the «city-region» level of action: urban centers and their surrounding rural and peri-urban areas. These are understood as functional units characterized by shared infrastructure, mobility and economic flows. In contrast to fragmented efforts, this approach enables coordinated, systemic climate planning across territorial boundaries.
The path lies in transformation and innovation
TiCCA4DANU also aims to bring about long-term structural change. It is based on the principles of Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP). It takes a holistic view of adaptation to climate change, recognizing that it is a societal transformation that permeates health, mobility, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and ecosystems.
Four urban regions are leading the way
The project has started in summer 2025 and will run until 2028. The urban regions of Burgas (Bulgaria), Debrecen (Hungary), Maribor (Slovenia) and Suceava (Romania) are leading the way. They will test new models of climate governance, embark on policy experiments, and develop Local Green Deals.
The project is led by VDI/VTE Innovation and Technology in cooperation with ICLEI. In addition to INFRAS, other participants include VUA (Netherlands), CMCC (Italy), University of Vienna, IIASA (Austria), Antejy (Slovenia) and LSIC (Austria), as well as partners from cities and regions. INFRAS specifically contributes to TiCCA4DANU with its mix of experience in the design and implementation of climate adaptation measures and the stakeholder-driven development of urban-regional implementation strategies.
Further information:
- The TiCCA4Danu project on LinkedIn
- Project description by TiCCA4Danu of the EU
- Article in Tagesspiegel, among others, about TiCCA4Danu: "City, country, climate divide? Transformative innovation policy against polarisation" (4 June 2025, in German)
Further INFRAS articles on the topic of adaptation to climate change:
Project team
