Training Course “Adapting territories to global change”

Canopea is a federation of environmental associations and has been in existence since 1974. It represents 130 associations working at local and international levels. Initially active in land-use planning, environmental pollution and agriculture/nature, it has extended its field of action to include mobility, energy, environment

An initiative of Canopea

Overview of the project

The training cycle is built around three key concepts: anticipation, adaptation and regeneration, and is divided into three modules. The first two, “Measuring the challenges and anticipating” and “Adopting a cross-disciplinary and inclusive adaptive approach”, form the common core of the training. The third, “Adapting management and regenerating your area”, includes field visits that participants can sign up for “à la carte”, depending on the geographical realities of their area.

The pedagogical approach of the training courses will combine knowledge input and situational exercises through field visits and practical exercises. Trainers will start from the participants’ representations and experiences before broadening their horizons. They will facilitate the transfer of learning into practice by helping participants identify the concrete changes to be introduced, the people to be mobilised and the tools and methods to be used to achieve them.

Important will also be placed on exchanges and particular attention will be paid to group dynamics in order to develop a network of sharing and mutual help between peers that can last beyond the training cycle. A platform bringing together the training materials and enabling questions, ideas, resources, etc. to be exchanged and shared will be made available to participants and moderated by the trainers.

A training cycle created thanks to the shared expertise of CANOPEA, ICEDD, Espace Environnement and Institut Eco-Conseil, with the support of Wallonia. A practical and innovative way of tackling new issues!

Objective

To train local authorities (elected representatives, civil servants, department managers) in the issues involved in adapting to global change, with a particular focus on integrating the major challenges of a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, anticipating new risks and making the living world a partner through nature-based solutions.

Level of progress

Pilote operation, experimentation

Project timeline

Janvier 2023 - Projet still in progress

Quantitative results

72 people took part in the first two modules of the training course, from around forty different local authorities. Of the 72 people registered, the majority work for the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (Pollec) (31%), followed by people working in land use planning and/or urban development (13%), and politicians (18%). The other people (36%) come from various departments, including living environment, environment, PCDR, eco-adviser, PlanU, etc. A training cycle was created thanks to the shared expertise of CANOPEA, ICEDD, Espace Environnement and Institut Eco-Conseil, with the support of Wallonia. A practical and innovative way of tackling new issues!

Qualitative results

At the end of the first few days of training, the overall satisfaction rate among participants was good. The diversity of the participants’ profiles has enabled us to develop a cross-disciplinary and complementary approach to the issues addressed.

Financing

This project is funded by the Wallonia Recovery Plan.

About the
organisation

Canopea

website
Aurélie Cauchie
Project Manager "Spatial Planning"
a.cauchie@canopea.be

Canopea is a federation of environmental associations and has been in existence since 1974. It represents 130 associations whose activities range from the local to international level. Initially active in land-use planning, environmental pollution and agriculture/nature, it has extended its field of action to include mobility, energy, environmental health, food and tourism. The federation is recognised for the quality of its work in: Continuing education; Critical monitoring of public policies and proposals for concrete, innovative solutions combine to accelerate the ecological and solidarity-based transition. Canopea is also committed to improving democratic participation in decision-making.

Find them on
A project
in collaboration
  • ICEDD

    NGO

    website
    Manu HARCHIES
    mha@icedd.be
  • Institut Eco-Conseil

    NGO

    website
    Marie-Céline GODIN
    marie-celine.godin@eco-conseil.be
  • Espace Environnement

    NGO

    website
    Juliette HEYMANS
    jheymans@espace-environnement.be