Lake Balaton Regional Vulnerability Assessment

Vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies

In close cooperation with the Division of Early Warning and Assessment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-DEWA), the Lake Balaton Development Coordination Agency (LBDCA), GRID-Geneva and several additional local and international partners, IISD is leading an integrated vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning initiative related to Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe.

The overall purpose of the project is to contribute to a better understanding of the Lake Balaton ecological and socio-systems vulnerability arising from multiple forces of change. The project will be examining the prospect that, due to the constellation of local and global causes, potentially including climate change as well as the unique attributes of the lake, Balaton is entering a phase of critical vulnerabilities. Going beyond the assessment of vulnerabilities, the project will involve connecting analysis to policy planning and the consideration of regional adaptation options in a consultative process with affected regional stakeholders.

The project is designated as a pilot assessment under UNEPs Early Warning Strategy and it is expected to offer lessons for similar initiatives elsewhere.