The MISSION CE CLIMATE initiative addresses climate resilience challenges in Central European communities through a number of activities, including structured series of pilot projects. These pilots are replicable, scalable models, guided by a common transnational framework that ensures methodological consistency while allowing local adaptation.
Currently, within MISSION CE CLIMATE, 6 pilots are being implemented across six Central European regions in Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Italy, all of them with strong community involvement and inclusive of local stakeholders from the design phase and all throughout implementation. This article outlines the design process of the pilot projects, the key methodological elements applied, and the considerations that make the approach transferable to other projects, regions, and initiatives.
The design of each pilot project follows a standardised methodology from recognised project management frameworks, notably PMBOK and PRINCE2. The objective was to create a robust foundation for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, ensuring each pilot addressed local needs while contributing to a shared climate resilience agenda.
The design phase encompassed the following core elements:
Defining the scope – The scope determined the precise challenged or need to be addressed within the local context. It established the boundaries of the pilot, distinguishing between in-scope and out-of-scope activities, and provided a reference point for all subsequent planning decisions.
Setting objectives and goals – Objectives were formulated using the SMART principle (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). This ensured that each pilot had clearly defined targets, aligned with both community needs and the overarching mission of the project.
Stakeholder and target group identification – A mapping process identified all relevant stakeholders, from municipal authorities to community groups and technical experts. This was essential to ensure that the solutions reflected diverse perspectives and that ownership extended beyond the project team.
Defining milestones, timeline and responsibilities – The pilots were structured around clear milestones representing significant achievements in the implementation process. A detailed timeline, visualised in Gantt charts, assigned responsibilities across project teams, ensuring accountability and coordinated progress.
Mapping assumptions and constraints – Potential influencing factors, both enabling and limiting, were documented. Assumptions were based on prior experience and available information, while constraints identified limitations outside the control of the project team. Both informed the project’s risk management strategy.
Performing risk assessment – Risk management was integrated from the outset, identifying potential threats to timely and successful delivery, assessing their likelihood and impact, and planning mitigation measures.
Communication planning – A targeted communication plan was developed for each pilot to ensure accurate and timely information exchange with stakeholders. This included defining communication channels, formats, and frequency, as well as incorporating mechanisms for feedback and adjustment.
Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
From the outset, pilots were required to define specific Key Performance Indicators across three evaluation focus areas:
Usability – including relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability.
Up-scaling potential – including integration, adaptability, scalability, and replicability.
Community awareness building – including engagement levels, training activities, and educational material development.
By embedding evaluation criteria in the design phase, the framework ensured that pilots were conceived with monitoring, assessment, and replication in mind.
A distinctive feature of the design process was the use of an Innovation Matrix, which assessed each pilot’s integration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and digital technologies. The framework encouraged high integration of both elements wherever possible, combining ecological approaches with data-driven monitoring, analysis, and optimisation. This dual-focus innovation model ensured that pilots addressed climate resilience through sustainable environmental practices supported by modern technological tools, thereby enhancing both effectiveness and long-term viability.
Replication by design
The transnational pilot framework was created not only to guide the initial implementation but to enable replication across different regions and thematic contexts. This was achieved through:
Standardised methodology – ensuring comparability and transferability of results.
Built-in evaluation dimensions – making it possible to assess suitability for scaling from the outset.
Documentation templates – facilitating consistent reporting and knowledge transfer.
Integration criteria – assessing how solutions could be embedded into wider systems and adapted to different contexts.
This design positions the pilots as demonstrative models. They serve as practical references for other communities seeking to implement climate resilience solutions, well beyond the MISSION CE CLIMATE project and its geographical scope.
The design phase of the MISSION CE CLIMATE pilots demonstrates that well-structured, methodologically sound preparation is essential for achieving both immediate local impact and long-term replication potential. By combining recognised project management principles with innovative evaluation tools, the framework offers a replicable pathway for other regions to address climate resilience challenges effectively.
Its strength lies in balancing methodological approach with contextual flexibility, ensuring that while each pilot is tailored to local realities, it remains part of a coherent, scalable strategy for climate adaptation.