Climate adaptation strategies focus on carbon pricing and water management

Climate change adaptation strategies are being examined across different sectors in Hungary and Romania. In Hungary, researchers from the Regional Energy Economic Research Center have developed the FOX (Forest Carbon Sink Optimisation) model. This model suggests that implementing carbon pricing incentives could significantly alter timber harvesting decisions. By providing financial value to the carbon stored in trees, the model indicates that delaying harvests could reduce the costs of Hungary’s transition to climate neutrality by approximately 3.1 billion euros by 2050.

In the Szeklerland region of Romania, farmers are facing dual challenges from climate change and uncertainties regarding European Union agricultural subsidy systems. Local representatives emphasize the urgent need for improved water management, irrigation technologies, and soil cultivation methods to combat increasing droughts. Proposed solutions include adopting drought-resistant hybrid seeds and modifying crop structures to ensure the long-term viability of regional agriculture.