In the last week of October 2025 EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) held its Annual Forum in Sopot, Poland. Under the slogan “Securing the Future: Stronger Together – Building Stability in Times of Uncertainty” the Annual Forum 2025 addressed a question: What actions are needed to build stability and a prosperous future for us all and the generations to come, across geopolitical, economic, social, and environmental dimensions?

During the Annual Forum 2025 Policy Area (PA) Spatial Planning together with PA Energy and PA Secure organized a session “Towards a Climate-Resilient Baltic Sea Region” that showcased collaborative climate change adaptation efforts in the Baltic Sea Region, highlighting tools and strategies for a climate-resilient macro-region. Featuring insights from the Baltic PlaNet project platform as well as Interreg BSR projects ClimaResponse and CommitClimate, the participants of the session were introduced to practical tools for local adaptation, such as digital platforms, real-life pilots, and CO₂ simulators. These initiatives empower municipalities to integrate data-driven approaches and community engagement in climate planning. Energy system resilience and the integration of climate action across all policy areas were identified as key priorities.

The session “Towards a Climate-Resilient Baltic Sea Region” emphasized that achieving climate resilience requires close collaboration among ministries, local governments, NGOs, and communities. In the EUSBSR framework climate resilience is a matter of cross-sectoral collaboration and joint effort of various Policy Areas. Read more about integrating climate change considerations into spatial planning in the Baltic Sea Region here.

Based on these insights, VASAB is encouraged to further integrate the concept of resilience into priorities and projects, strengthen synergies with other projects, promote regional knowledge exchange on local resilience planning tools, and link societal and cultural aspects with spatial planning. These efforts will help build a more connected, resilient, and secure Baltic Sea Region.

The EUSBSR Annual Forum communicates the work of the Strategy, its objectives, and achievements to stimulate policy discussions and to share results and provide stakeholders with a networking opportunity. This year each Policy Area provided a “Securing the Future” report. Read the full publication here.

Photo copyright: Lukasz Tokarczyk / Pomeranian Voivodeship