ESPACE 2nd Joint International Workshop
June 21st 2004 – Technical Sessions
Golden Tulip Hotel, Zaltbommel, The Netherlands
WORKSHOP REPORT
N.B. This Workshop Report provides details of the discussions that took place on Day 1 of the ESPACE Workshop. All presentations and additional documents referred to in the text of this report are available on this page - see below.
ESPACE PartnersHampshire County Council (HCC) as Lead Partner / · Bryan Boult
· Chitra Nadarajah
· Jill Rankin
· Ruth Hale
· Jeremy Owen (Land Use Consultants)
Hampshire County Council as Partner / · Christine Seaward
· Doogie Black
Environment Agency / · Tim Reeder
· Stephen Walker
· Bill Donovan
· Merylyn Hedger
Regionaal Landschap Zenne, Zuun en Zonien / · Ann Gaeremynck
South East Climate Change Partnership / · Mark Goldthorpe
South East England Regional Assembly / · David Payne
· Joanna Cleasby
Surrey County Council / · Phil Sivell
· Gary Black
Waterschap Rivierenland / · Johan Bakker
· Niels Nijmeijer
· Eric Kuindersma
· Inge Lucas
West Sussex County Council / · Abby Pulham
· Tim Yair
· Fran Wallington
· Harold Hall
· Jo Seydel (Rosslyn Research)
Ministerie van VROM / · Marieke Soeters
Bayerisches Landesamt fur Wasserwirtschaft / · Reinhard Schmidtke
· Hans Weber
· Thomas Beckmann
Extended Partners
UK Climate Impacts Programme / · Jacqueline Harman
European Commission, Joint Research Centre / · Jose Barredo
Finnish Environment Institute / · Tim Carter
Defra - Water Supply & Regulation Division / · Joanne Turner
National Freshwater Institute of the Netherlands / · Willem Oosterberg
Climate Change and Biosphere Centre, Waginengen University / · Jeroen Veraat
Topic Sessions Agenda 08.45 – 17.45
08.45 Welcome
08.55 Extended Partner presentations
09.25 Introduction to Topic Sessions
09.30 Presentations & discussions on Topic 1: Raising Awareness (West Sussex County Council)
09.45 Presentations & discussions on Topic 1: Raising Awareness (West Sussex County Council) continued
10.30 Coffee
11.00 Discussions on Sub Topics:
a. Methodologies (WSCC, HCC Partner, RLZZZ, SECCP, SCC, LFW)
b. stakeholder participation (WSCC)
c. raising awareness strategies (HCC Partner, WSCC, LFW)
d. community involvement (WSCC, HCC Partner, RLZZZ, LFW)
12.15 Lunch
13.15 Presentation on Topic 2 – Developing an Information & Knowledge Base (Land Use Consultants)
13.45 Discussions on Topic 2 – outcomes of study and benefits (HCC Lead Partner)
14.30 Presentation on Topic 3 – Review of policies & development of adaptation strategies (jointly led by – Ministerie van VROM & South East England Regional Assembly)
15.00 Coffee / Tea
15.30 Discussion on Topic 3 – actions & outcomes
16.30 Discussion on Sub Topics:
a. Decision Testing Tool (EA, VROM, WSRL)
b. Case Studies (SEERA, EA, WSRL, VROM, RLZZZ, LFW)
c. Policy review (SEERA & VROM)
d. Development of adaptation strategies (SEERA, EA, VROM, WSRL, LFW)
17.45 - 18.15 Drinks in “Bommelbar”
19.15 Dinner in “Brasserie”
Welcome
Bryan Boult, Hampshire County Council (HCC) as Lead Partner
Welcome to the second ESPACE Joint International Workshop but the first of the technical sessions. I would like to welcome all the ESPACE Partners and also the members of the Extended Partnership. Extended Partners are present because they can benefit from the outcomes of the ESPACE Project by helping them in their areas of work but they can also provide valuable contributions towards the delivery of the outcomes of the ESPACE Project.
We would very much like to thank the Waterschap Rivierenland, particularly Eric Kuindersma, for all their hard work in organising and hosting this event.
Johan Bakker, Waterschap Rivierenland Director
Welcome to the Netherlands and particularly to Zaltbommel. The venue for this workshop has been specifically chosen for it’s location in the middle of the wetlands which is particularly relevant for our discussions today. This is an important meeting for the ESPACE Project and I hope that we will have some good discussions today.
Extended Partner Presentations ( see also “Additional Documents” )
Bryan Boult
We thought we would start this workshop with a series of small presentations from each of the Extended Partners, which should provide some understanding of where their interests and expertise lie and what they are interested in gaining from the workshop today and from the ESPACE project in the long-term.
1. United Kingdom Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) – Jacqueline
Harman
UKCIP was set up in 1997 by the UK Government and is funded by the Global Atmospheres Division of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The role of UKCIP is to help organisations identify which climate change impacts may affect them and to develop effective responses, by:
· promoting stakeholder-led, problem-oriented research
· providing core tools
· providing guidance/advice
· encouraging integrated approaches
UKCIP have produced a number of reports in partnership with other organisations based on regional and sectoral research. Other key outputs include tools such as the UKCIP02 climate scenarios and guidance on subjects such as risk, uncertainty and decision-making. A new web-based tool called the Adaptation Wizard can be used to assess risk and uncertainty and the need of an individual organisation to adapt.
UKCIP is linked to the ESPACE project through partnerships such as the South East Climate Change Partnership (SECCP) and by reviewing of the recent “Developing an Information and Knowledge Base” report. UKCIP can also provide guidance for decision makers to develop effective responses to climate change impacts.
2. European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) – Dr Jose Barredo
The Floods and other Weather Driven Natural Hazards (WDNH) project has been developed within the Land Management Unit of the IES.
Action is focused in several areas related to floods and other weather driven natural hazards:
· Simulation of realistic scenarios at pan-European level of floods, taking into consideration technical and spatial measures and weather conditions;
· Developing a European Flood Alert System (EFAS);
· Integrating aspects of spatial and regional planning with hazard mitigation strategies.
Two simulation models are being developed in a new approach for floods and other natural hazard assessment:
1. The MOLAND model – this is a spatial dynamics model used to simulate and forecast land use changes in urban areas and regions.
2. The LISFLOOD model – this is a flood modelling system that can assist in evaluating flood control measures in medium and large size catchments.
I would also like to announce that there will be a technical workshop held at the JRC in Ispra concerning Spatial Planning and Natural Hazards towards the end of 2004 / start of 2005.
3. Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) – Professor Timothy Carter
The Finnish Environment Institute has developed a scoping project called Finadapt which will focus on adaptation to climate change in Finland. The objectives of the project are to assess vulnerability and adaptation processes in Finland and raise awareness of climate change and possible response measures. It aims to engage key individuals and institutions with a stake in climate impacts and the design of response measures to identify major gaps in knowledge. This project co-ordinates with a new Government climate change programme starting in 2006 and the revision of the National Climate Change Strategy which will include adaptation for the first time.
Finadapt has 11 partners and aims to focus a number of different sectors such as forestry, agriculture, water, health, transport, the built environment, energy, tourism, urban planning, etc.
The opportunity to be an extended partner in the ESPACE project will provide us with a chance to observe and learn from experiences outside Finland on how stakeholders have been dealing with the question of climate change adaptation and specifically how spatial planning issues are being handled in different sectors. Finally I am also interested to see how awareness of climate change adaptation is being pursued in different parts of North West Europe.
4. DEFRA – Water Supply and Regulation Division – Joanne Turner
I work in the Water and Marine Directorate of DEFRA which is responsible for policy on the water industry framework and structure. We are mainly involved in the five yearly process of assisting OFWAT (The Economic Regulator for the Water and Sewerage Industry in England and Wales) in their job of setting price limits for the water companies. We also advise on new burdens to affect the water industry including an element of horizon scanning.
Climate change is a potentially significant issue for the water industry and will undoubtedly lead to more investment in the future, not least to enable the ageing sewerage systems in urban areas to cope with larger volumes of flood water and peak rainfall events. DEFRA is encouraging the water industry to develop strategies to identify areas where additional investment will be needed.
Current DEFRA activity relating to climate change includes:
· The Water Sector –increasing the rate of water metering,; maintaining the supply and demand balance and planning for changes in the South East; setting minimum standards for water efficiency, flood management, coastal issues; and water research (including recent studies of Climate Change and the Demand for Water and Climate Change and the Impact on Reservoirs).
· Sustainability - sustainable drainage (SuDS) can be used to manage run-off rates, protect water quality, retain rainwater, etc. The Water Framework Directive has introduced a new responsibility to address urban diffuse pollution which may affect the use of SuDS.
· Agriculture – current issues include the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and water resources.
· Atmospheric emissions – greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the UK Kyoto target.
DEFRA as an extended partner of the ESPACE project hopes to observe the programme and use it to help inform our decision making and strategic planning.
5. RIZA, National Freshwater Institute of the Netherlands – Willem Oosterberg
RIZA is the freshwater institute of the Netherlands and is part of the Dutch Ministry for transport, public works and water management.
Climate change and the consequences for water management have been well thought through in the Netherlands. Extreme flood events in 1993 and 1995 have led to policy change. In the previous century the Netherlands used to rely on dykes and pumps to manage the water carefully, but since the floods of 1993 and 1995 we have had to re-think our approach and have realised that we need more space for water.
Because of the new water policy and its implementation by the Government, water has now entered the spatial planning arena. Also as a consequence of this change in policy, a new department to look at spatial planning and water management has been established at RIZA – the Department for Spatial Planning and Water Management.
Water is divided into a two-tiered system in the Netherlands – national waters (rivers and lakes) and regional water bodies. RIZA is responsible for providing advice on the policy and implementation of national waters.
RIZA are also involved in projects looking at the long-term predictions of what will happen to rivers as a result of climate change and using these to make plans for what should be done in, for example, the river area. The physical side of this issue involves identifying water retention areas and the next step is getting the stakeholders to realise the need for the space.
RIZA also has an indirect role in advising our Minister on implementation of policies at the regional level, as the Minister is responsible for regional water management. National level water management also influences the regional level, for example all developments now need a water test. It has become mandatory in the Netherlands that all developments such as housing, and also spatial planning, have a water test, that assesses their impacts on the water system. My department has devised this test and is supporting its implementation. We also have a national agreement that all regional water managers must identify what spatial claims are necessary to account for climate change and these are then incorporated into the spatial plan of the Netherlands.
From my presentation I think it has become clear what my interest will be in this workshop – incorporating water management into spatial planning as a result of climate change.
6. Climate Change and Biosphere Centre, Waginengen University – Jeroen Veraat
I am involved in three climate change programmes, the third one is the most relevant to ESPACE:
1. The Climate Change and Biosphere Research Centre’s programme which focuses on climate change issues in the broadest sense, including the study of the feedbacks between the vegetation, land use and regional climate in order to improve anticipating measures, especially with regard to the implications of climate change for land use planning, ecosystem management and the development of environmental policies.
2. An international dialogue on water and climate (2000). This project recognises that climate change is threatening the world's fresh water resources. Through increasing awareness of the issues and of potential solutions, the dialogue will seek to set in motion social and political processes that will lead to the eventual adoption of coping strategies and 'best practices' for sustainable water management.
3. A public and private sector research programme based on climate change and spatial planning running from October 2004-09 called “Climate Changes Spatial Planning”. The main objective of this project is to establish climate change as one of the guiding principles of spatial planning in the Netherlands. It covers four main themes – climate scenarios, mitigation and land use and the relationship with spatial planning, adaptation to climate change and spatial planning (in water, transport, agriculture, fisheries sectors, etc), and integration involving stakeholders (including cost-benefit analysis and community strategy).
We are also interested in developing a communications strategy for communicating to the public the risks associated with changing spatial planning as a result of climate change.
Introduction to Topic Sessions
Bryan Boult
This workshop and future workshops to follow are an important part of developing and delivering the overall transnational outputs of ESPACE. This process will be helped by the presence of the Extended Partners and the expertise they can contribute. It is also an opportunity for partners to share information and experiences, build transnational actions and benefits and improve delivery of actions.