CPA aimed to create a portfolio of climate adoption strategies for the North Sea Region. This was done by carrying out multi-focused pilot projects across the North Sea Region in order to analyse the impacts of climate changes as a first step.

Subsequently, diverse climate adoption strategies were developed, implemented and tested. In addition, the project fostered political support established by the Memoranding of Understanding (MoU) of the North Sea Commission, triggering future investments on a transnational level.

The project focused on the effects of climate change for groundwater systems. CLIWAT aimed to identify the challenges caused by the higher water levels and to develop climate scenarios focussing on surface water and water supply as well as the impacts of it on buildings. This would enable the North Sea Region to react more efficiently to the consequences of climate change.

The project built on and improved existing geo-physical methods and these were tested in the partner regions in order to be able to develop recommendations for the North Sea Region on how to deal with the consequences of increased groundwater levels.

CLIWAT was also represented in the WaterCAP cluster and in WaterCAP Taskforce.

The CNSS project produced results that have a great need and potential for further dissemination and exploitation. Models & draft tools for visualising of air emissions have been developed. With small adjustments they could be made available for free distribution to schools, universities, public sector organisations and the business community.

The CNSS project has also been preparing high quality evidence based results. CNSS IDI will further develop the triple helix approach & collaboration between industry, policy makers and the research and educational institutes.

The project focused on the development of new and sustainable energy-related technologies and strategies on islands around the North Sea Region. C2CI developed and implemented the cradle-to-cradle (C2C) methodology for North Sea Region islands, i.e. designing intelligent products and materials that can be used over and over again and thus replace the concept of waste.

Three development clusters that focus on sustainable energy in relation to mobility, water and materialsl created relevant networks and delivered sustainable innovations for the islands' environments. Incubator centres on the partner islands fostered further development and implementation.

C2CI was also represented in the WaterCAP cluster.

The project activities considered cultural and natural heritage, as a means to improve public health, the development of SME's and the demographic profile of the region.

The project built on the results of two former Interreg IIIB projects: Nave Nortrail and Cycle-on, using the trails set up by these projects as a basis for activity. The project carried out a number of transnational field studies within the partner countries, the results of which fed into a toolkit.

The work was supported by three universities, the UK organisations, Federation of Small Business and British Ramblers Association, the North Sea Commission and a Political forum. The project results (toolkit) were promoted through the projects own website and also the North Sea Commission website.

While the North Sea Region deals with the effects of climate change, transport-related CO2 emissions continue to increase. We face an urgent need to develop and implement carbon reduction strategies and to secure an ongoing energy supply for transport. The North Sea Region has a huge potential for innovative transport strategies which could improve the economic performance of its regions and cities in a post-fossil economy (see Lisbon Agenda).

Transnational collaboration was used in terms of building political support and momentum, as well as in concrete terms of establishing uniform standards and infrastructure across the region. CARE-North has developed and implemented innovative carbon reduction strategies for urban and regional transport in order to maintain and improve accessibility in a more carbon-responsible way and overall make the North Sea Region a leader in carbon-efficient accessibility.

CCC aimed to build and implement an integrated evidence-based strategy for cities to strengthen their innovative capacity. This was done by means of a methodology of joint development and pilot testing of new tools and instruments in the fields of skills development, business cooperation and the development of urban creative clusters. CCC focused on the catalyst role of creative industries in building and strengthening the innovative capacity of these urban economies through the use of a transnational triple helix of government, education and business.

Project outcomes included instruments for skills development for entrepreneurs, masters’ classes and a network for North Sea Region business cooperation. Urban showcases demonstrated instruments on how to establish creative clusters.

CCC was also represented in the DANS Cluster.

ClimaFruit established transnational cooperation between research institutions and the North Sea Region berry fruit industry in order to maximize the implementation of innovative technologies. Thereby, the project secured, sustained and grew the economic value of the industry under by developing a world leading Berry Fruit Cluster in the North Sea Region to ensure investment opportunities, sustainable use of resources and the production of healthy food.

The project produced methods to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry, superior plant material and future production strategies better suited to the North Sea Region climate, as well as a virtual Soft Fruit Climate Change and Environment Centre, ensuring the continuous uptake of methods by the berry fruit industry.

Cruise Gateway increased the maritime accessibility by developing the North Sea Region as a cruise destination of its own and promoting it as a "lighthouse" for sustainable cruise. 

The project partners considered a broad range of topics linked to cruise and cruise potential, including joint lobbying and marketing, the creation of a regional maritime identity and innovative ideas for passenger excursions, as they seek ways to develop the North Sea Region as a cruise destination in its own right.

The common thread through all of this was sustainability – including the promotion of environmental awareness and eco-friendly transport structures, and avoiding congestion.

Cruise Gateway was also represented in the MTC cluster.

CNSS focused on emission and greenhouse gas reduction from ships, using studies to reveal the status of air quality in ports and surrounding areas. The partnership of CNSS (ports, business, regions, public authorities, NGOs, research institutes) changed this by creating transparency on cost-efficient technology solutions and developing and improving the introduction of successful air quality programs.

The present challenge is to develop and implement environmentally friendly, cost-effective concepts and practical solutions in line with upcoming standards.

Promoting the development of efficient and effective logistics solutions, the maritime transport system (ships, ports and surrounding areas) will step into a transition processes to meet the demands of enlargement and sustainable development at the same time.

The DANS cluster connected three projects funded under the Priority 1: Creative City Challenge (CCC), Smart Cities and E-CLIC. These three projects combined their expertise, contacts and networks and thereby built a base upon which the 'Digital Agenda for Europe' (DAE) could be implemented within the North Sea Region.

The project focused on the link between the local and regional strategies to the DAE, identified implementation barriers and pointed at synergies. This led to a number of strategic outputs (e.g. an implementation strategy, the 'DANS model', 'Good Practices Guide') and dissemination activities by modern means of communication.

MTC built a structure for exchanging information on the latest knowledge and experiences concerning maritime transport issues by establishing a network covering all transport related North Sea Region Programme projects.

MTC identified synergies between North Sea Region Programme project results and consolidated these into overall programme outcomes on transport. The results were discussed with the business, public sector and research actors and matched with industry and research trends.

Afterwards, outcomes were connected to policy developments with a focus on future transport and cohesion policy and the MTC Policy Paper was drafted.

As historical hydrological patterns can no longer be solely relied upon to forecast future water conditions, a new paradigm for water management is needed. The WaterCAP cluster connected six Interreg IVB funded projects (CPA, Aquarius, SAWA, C2C-islands and CLIWAT) working with issues relating to water.

The project focused on recommendations relevant to policy-makers on water quantity/quality issues, climate change impact assessment on different types of water bodies and adaptation strategies including cross-sector involvement and participatory approaches.

The EVNSR project clustered the IVB North Sea Region Programme renewable energy projects. EVNSR drew on the value and strengths identified in the individual projects in order to increase the deployment rate of renewable energy in the North Sea Region. EVNSR interconnected the different individual results and amplified the successes in order to build a Renewable Energy Strategy.

The LOWCAP cluster developed a process for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in carbon reduction and energy efficiency projects in the North Sea Region. This process brought together key results and identified the synergies between the partner projects and related North Sea Region Programme projects.

The findings were consolidated and discussed with other stakeholders in the North Sea Region drawn from decision makers and implementers in the public sector and end users from business and communities. In combination with a review of EU programmes and the most recent literature, LOWCAP produced and disseminated policy advice.

CAMINO reconciled economic growth (Europe2020) and climate adaptation. It delivered innovative governance approaches and business cases that supported mainstreaming climate adaptation in local investment projects and product/service development.

CAMINO built upon results of MARE, SKINT, SAWA (NSR), FRC (NWE) & BaltCica (BSR) and enriched its 5 regional partnerships with industry and (inter)national policy makers. This enabled implementation of 10 local pilots, and the development and dissemination of transnational Future Perspectives for innovative sustainable growth in the North Sea Region. 

Transport and mobility – a challenge. The approach of the project reflected several European policy areas – from health aspects, clean air and noise abatement, energy supply and fuel policy and the transport sector with its White Paper and Action Plan on Urban Mobility. The project had its basis in the further development of innovative mobility solutions on the local and regional showcase level. It combined the successful implementation of innovative measures in the partner sites with enhanced activities in presenting and politically promoting the insights of CARE-North. 

Innovation is most likely to happen at the borderlines between different industries. The project "CCC reloaded: CREALAB" aimed to develop and implement a multidisciplinary, cross-sectorial and transnational method using creativity to stimulate innovation by bringing together traditional industrial sectors with the creative industries and science. In this way, the development of new services and products as well as the creation of new value chains was fostered.