The 3rd I4C climate Adaptalab: from ideas to policy impact

After two editions focused on exploration and solution development, the 3rd I4C Climate Adaptalab marks a clear shift in direction. Taking place from 16 to 18 June 2026 at Litteraturhuset in Bergen, Norway, this event will bring together researchers, city practitioners, and policy-makers to translate years of collaboration, data, and experience into concrete policy recommendations.

And this time, we are taking the conversation to the streets in the heart of Bergen with the #MakeItReal Roadshow and its interactive booth.

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A different kind of Adaptalab

The objective of the 3rd Adaptalab is to co-create a series of targeted policy briefs that will ensure the long-term impact of the I4C project and support the uptake of its results in decision-making across Europe.

I4C Climate Adaptalabs are intensive, hackathon-inspired events that bring together scientists, planners, local experts, and decision-makers to collaborate on climate adaptation challenges.

The first Adaptalab, held in Paris in 2023, helped define the project’s direction, while the second, in Barcelona in 2025, focused on refining tools, datasets, and approaches.

This third edition takes a decisive step further. Rather than developing new concepts, participants will focus on distilling insights from across the project and translating them into actionable messages for policy audiences. In doing so, it builds on the Adaptalab’s role as a co-creation space for climate innovation.

Participants will work together to:

• identify what has proven effective in practice
• highlight remaining barriers to implementation
• define what decision-makers need to act
• translate complex, cross-cutting insights into clear, evidence-based recommendations (‘policy outcomes’)

All contributors will be recognised as co-authors, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the process.

The resulting briefs will extend beyond the event itself: after refinement, selected outputs will help shape the I4C policy event in Brussels in 2026, bringing project insights directly into European-level discussions.

Five themes, one shared objective

To guide the process, the Adaptalab is structured around five thematic areas that reflect key strands of the I4C project.

Some groups will focus on governance, examining how coordination mechanisms, mandates, and institutional frameworks can enable cities to turn climate knowledge into action. Others will explore co-production and communication, looking at how researchers, practitioners, and communities can jointly define challenges and share knowledge in ways that are inclusive and locally meaningful.

Further discussions will address the barriers that still limit innovation in urban climate services, as well as the practical question of how climate data and indicators can be embedded into urban planning and decision-making.

Finally, one group will look beyond the local level, translating lessons from cities into recommendations for strengthening European and national policy frameworks. Participants select their areas of interest during registration and are then assigned to a working group, where they will collaboratively shape the content and direction of a policy brief.

Alongside the collaborative work, the 3rd Adaptalab will also provide space for participants to strengthen their ability to engage with policy processes. Through guided sessions and group work, participants will explore how policy briefs are structured, how messages can be tailored to specific audiences, and how evidence can be aligned with policy priorities. The intention is not only to produce strong outputs during the event, but also to equip participants with practical skills they can apply in their own work.

The I4C #MakeItReal Roadshow pops up in Bergen

The Adaptalab will be complemented by the I4C #MakeItReal Roadshow, which continues its journey following its launch at ECCA 2025 in Rimini.

On 18–19 June 2026 in Torgallmenningen, the city’s main square, the IMPETUS Pit Stop stand will be hosted in an open public space as a symbol bridging the gap between climate science and real-world decision-making.

Visitors will be invited to explore key concepts (such as climate variability or the difference between projections and predictions) in a way that is both accessible and engaging.

An interactive quiz, “Test your climate knowledge”, will encourage participants to reflect on how climate information is understood and used. The Roadshow offers a complementary experience to the Adaptalab, opening up dialogue with a wider audience and making complex climate information more tangible.

TEST YOUR CLIMATE KNOWLEDGE

See you there?

As the final Adaptalab of the I4C project, this edition represents a key opportunity to shape how its results are translated into policy.

By focusing on concrete outputs and policy relevance, the event aims to ensure that the knowledge developed through I4C continues to inform climate adaptation efforts across Europe.

Where: Litteraturhuset, Bergen, Norway
When: 16–18 June 2026
Registration deadline: Friday, 15 May

Secure your place via the event page by clicking here.