In collaboration with Orange Romania, the Environmental Platform for Bucharest is launching a new funding area focused on climate resilience.
RON500,000 has been provided to support up to four initiatives that develop solutions for managing climate-related risks and possibilities, as well as strengthening the Capital’s resilience in the face of future difficulties. So far, in the first five rounds and through special funding efforts, the program has provided over RON10m in assistance for 36 environmental projects.
Bucharest has grown overcrowded with construction projects, leaving buildings, roads, transit, water, and energy infrastructure vulnerable to climate hazards such as rising temperatures, decreasing precipitation, and more violent extreme weather. This data is presented in the Bucharest Community Foundation’s Research Report on the State of the Environment, which served as the foundation for the launch of the Environmental Platform for Bucharest program.
„For instance, by 2050, the average temperature in the Capital could rise by 3.6–4°C, and heatwaves will become more frequent and longer-lasting, which will put pressure on the city, according to reports from the UN and the Synthesis Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Moreover, in Bucharest, instant temperature differences are frequently 4–6°C higher than in the surrounding rural areas,” a recent press release reveals.
In this context, the implementation of climate resilience solutions becomes essential for mitigating the long-term effects caused by climate trends and combating the urban heat island phenomenon. These include rain gardens that allow water to be absorbed into the soil, permeable pavements to reduce the risk of flooding, water management systems, urban green gardens to improve air quality, painting concrete surfaces, and creating cooling or shaded areas to help reduce temperatures.
Developing Solutions for Measuring and Improving the Air or Water Quality in Bucharest
To receive support in the Round VI of funding, eligible projects must develop solutions for measuring and improving the air or water quality in Bucharest, research the impact of extreme temperatures on the population and biodiversity or implement concrete solutions to enhance the resilience of people and communities to climate change.
Until December 16, 2024, non-governmental organizations that aim to address a climate issue in Bucharest can apply for a grant by completing an online form available on the Environmental Platform for Bucharest’s website. The submitted projects will be evaluated by the end of January 2025 by a jury that includes environmental and grant experts, which will be announced. The winning projects will be announced after February 6, 2025. Afterwards, the projects will have nearly a year, until January 2026, to be implemented. The amount allocated to each winning project will depend on the complexity of the proposed initiatives and the necessary funding for their development.
The Environmental Platform for Bucharest is a strategic program initiated by the Bucharest Community Foundation together with ING Bank Romania, launched in 2022. The program aims to turn environmental issues faced by people into viable projects for Bucharest and its residents. The Environmental Platform for Bucharest was created to bring together non-profit organizations, civic initiative groups, public authorities, and companies to create the collective impact needed to transform the Capital into a better city to live in.
