D7.5 Policy guidelines aimed at different levels of governance supported by evidence-based adaptation planning tools and use scenarios

This document is a deliverable of the SCORE project, funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101003534. It presents a concise set of policy recommendations grounded in SCORE’s extensive research, pilot implementation, and stakeholder collaboration across ten Coastal City Living Labs (CCLLs). The recommendations target policymakers at local, national, and EU levels, offering practical guidance to support the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) measures, participatory planning, the living lab concept, and innovative technical and financial tools into policy and planning processes across a variety of coastal management contexts. These policy insights are designed to align with and reinforce existing frameworks such as the EU Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Floods Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Importantly, the guidelines contain evidence on coastal ecosystem services and their adaptation costs and benefits, as these have emerged from the SCORE project’s extensive work, especially its success stories. They demonstrate how public value is created through the adaptation measures designed and implemented in SCORE, providing actionable guidance on how such measures can be supported and integrated at various governance levels, from local and regional to European. Through evidence-based recommendations and tested practices, this deliverable supports public authorities, policymakers, and other stakeholders in enhancing their coastal climate resilience strategies, while enabling the wider uptake and replication of SCORE’s integrated approach across Europe.