Local Climate Response

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Local Climate Response

Introduction

As a result of climate change, local authorities and their citizens are increasingly faced with problems such as air pollution and water scarcity. Moreover, the security and livelihoods of millions are threatened by droughts, floods, and other natural disasters. To address these challenges, local governments – in cooperation with national and local stakeholders – must develop strategies that respond to current and future climate change.

In this course, we will discuss climate change scenarios across multiple sectors and explore their policy implications. Furthermore, participants will assess local climate vulnerabilities in their own local context, and discuss possible strategies to build local resilience. The focus is on designing sustainable adaptation plans that support communities and local ecosystems, for example, by developing nature based solutions. Participants will also map national and international opportunities to finance climate adaptation, and they will learn how to incorporate climate justice principles in local policies.

The course was truly useful for my work. I learned practical tools for climate action, not only from the experts but also from fellow participants and study visits. In my back-home action plan, I identified and mapped the most vulnerable sites in the city to be affected by floods. My goal is for this to be used to plan future investment.

Irma Temali, participant 2019, Project Investment office. Regional Council of Shkoder, Albania

Key Information

This course is aimed at professionals who design, implement and support policies for adaptation to and mitigation of the effects of climate change. Participants come from national, regional and local governments, knowledge institutes, NGOs and donor and development organisations.

The course will take place in The Hague from 22 June 2026 to 03 July 2026.

The course fee is € 3,995 *. This includes all training related costs as well as drinks and warm lunches during the training days. Group discounts are available if organisations participate with three or more colleagues.

This training takes place in The Hague, Netherlands.

After this course, participants will receive a professional certificate of completion from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.

*Professionals working in local government or for local NGOs on the DAC list of ODA-recipient countries (OECD) may qualify for a reduced course fee. Contact us for details.

Learning objectives

Guided by high-level, international experts, participants will:

Understand key concepts of climate change, climate adaptation, mitigation, risk and resilience, and climate justice

Increase insight into climate change scenarios and policy implications

Assess climate vulnerabilities using well-established tools and methodologies

Design community-based climate policies and action plans, including the use of ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, and energy transition strategies

Design climate policies and action plans

Explore opportunities to finance local climate policies

Mainstream sustainability and climate actions in your organisation

Experts

Klara Claessens

Klara has expertise in sustainable territorial development, land governance and natural resource governance with a focus on Central Africa. She holds a PhD in Development Studies (University of Antwerp), an advanced master in Governance and Development (University of Antwerp) and a master in African Studies (University of Ghent).

Catarina Fonseca

Catarina is a senior consultant and expert in water financing and institutional strategies, with 23 years of experience in development and non-profit sectors. She focuses on the financial aspects of water and sanitation services and is the founder of Pulsing Tide, a consultancy on water finance and strategy.

Wouter Wolters

Wouter is a senior consultant and expert on integrated water resources management, with over 40 years of international experience. He has worked a.o. in Egypt, Pakistan and Iraq, and has been involved in various EU-projects.

Experience

You will visit examples of smart technology, urban farming, green buildings and projects to adapt to rising sea levels and heavy rainfall. Amongst others, you will visit Elemental WaterMakers and Living Lab Scheveningen, who are developing and implementing sustainable solutions for climate adaptation and resilience. You will also visit the World Horti Center, the world’s leading hub for innovation across the water-food nexus. Lastly, At Eva-Lanxmeer, an ecological residential area, you will experience first-hand an example of sustainable and participatory urban planning.

Practical information

Find the practical information for the course here.

Payment
After submitting your completed application, you will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once we have assessed your application and admitted you to the course, we will send you an invoice with payment details.

Payments can be made by bank transfer or by PayPal request. We offer the option of paying in one or two instalments. An advance payment of 50% secures the reservation of a seat at the training until the payment deadline, one week prior to the course start date. Your participation in the course is guaranteed only after receipt of full payment.

Please note that The Hague Academy accepts registrations on a first-paid, first-served policy.
Visa Applications
Some countries require a visa to enter the Netherlands. Please check with The Netherlands or the embassy for the visa requirements related to your country. Because of the length of time needed for the visa procedure, we advise you to start this process as soon as possible. Once we have received your payment for the course, The Hague Academy will send you an acceptance letter which will assist you in arranging your visa to The Netherlands.
Cancellation
We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, necessitating the cancellation of your attendance. In such cases, please be aware of our cancellation policy:
- For cancellations due to circumstances beyond your control, a reimbursement can be arranged, subject to an administration fee of €350.
- Cancellations made between four and two weeks before the training commences will incur a charge equivalent to 50% of the course fee.
- Cancellations made within two weeks of the training start date, will result in an 80% charge of the fee.
- In the event of a no-show, there will be a 100% charge of the fee.
- Alternatively, you may nominate a qualified substitute to attend the course in your place at no additional cost.
The Hague Academy for Local Governance reserves the right to cancel a course if the number of participants is insufficient or due to any other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, your payment will be 100% reimbursed. Other costs such as transportation or hotel cannot be reimbursed.