/ Primary Contact / Organisation / Country / Summary / W[1] / E[2] / T[3] / C[4] / S[5] /
1 / Alison Greig / Anglia Ruskin University / UK / Change and Risk Management: Developing the Resilience Hierarchy as a Decision Making Tool
The success of technical developments in improving communities climatic resilience will depend largely upon their relevance and appropriateness to particular situations. Put simply, what works in one location or in one set of circumstances may not work elsewhere. This project would develop a decision making tool which would assess the appropriateness of a technological development and lead to improved community understanding, acceptance and buy-in.
Assessment would take account of the particular physical, social and economic aspects of a situation thereby maximizing the natural/manufactured, social/financial and human capital from the change, promoting sustainability and ensuring compatibility with the UK Sustainable Communities Agenda.
The approach is transferable between different cultures, legislation and governance by changing the parameters used in the tool, or the weight assigned to them. / P
2 / Michael Belau / Bavarian Environment Agency / DE / KLIMAP Fränkische Saale:
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for managing water in communities at the Fränkische Saale
The core of our project idea is a practical climate change adaptation plan that shows responses to the impacts of climate change for regional and local authorities. In our studies in ESPACE we studied the impacts of climate change in the area of the Fränkische Saale based on the downscaling climate scenarios of two different regional climate models. The work in our new project idea is the second step and should benefit from these important results. In partnership with local and regional spatial planning bodies we would like to develop practical adaptation responses to the impacts of climate change for regional and local authorities on the key priority sectors water management in urban areas, infrastructure and tourism. We want to develop trans-sectoral solutions within a "climate friendly" and locally or regionally profitable concept, by combining for example water management (including flood risk and water supply during dry periods) with local tourism. Within these studies we want to concentrate on the impacts of climate change on dry periods and corresponding effects such as water quality, drinking water supply etc. In this context, it is essential to cooperate closely with the decision makers and those responsible for the respective sectors at the national and regional level, with the aim of providing a best practice example.
The basic prerequisite for the mentioned adaptation plan are quantitative information concerning the impacts of climate change on hydrological parameters. Based on the studies the LfU did in the frame of ESPACE and on the new generation of regional climate models, we want to deliver this quantitative information with the focus on droughts and the impacts for communities.
In the frame of cooperation with the Application Centre Systems Engineering (AST) in Ilmenau of the Fraunhofer institute (IITB) Karlsruhe we would like to develop spatially and temporally high-dissolved forecasts for heavy rain events and the resulting flash floods in rural areas. The goals of these studies are the development of strategies and measures for risk mitigation for small cities and municipalities in the area of the Streu in the catchment of the upper Fränkische Saale. This is one important aspect in the mentioned climate change adaptation plan (KLIMAP Fränkische Saale).
Adaptation on a local and regional level are only possible through awareness and willingness to change. Communication and providing factual information remains a key task. / P
3 / Dr. Andreas Kress / Climate Alliance / EU / Climate Alliance (CA) has worked – together with its partners – during the last 2 years in its AMICA project (Adaptation and Mitigation:
an Integrated Climate Policy Approach) (www.amica-climate.net). Policies and measures suited both to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change were reviewed, thus preparing the ground for integrated local climate policies. Within this proposal CA would contribute to develop an improved and easy-to-use tool to assess vulnerabilities including adaptive capacities and an improved management framework for integrated adaptation and mitigation practices. The tool should help determine which impacts of climate change are potentially ‘key’ by using methods assessing vulnerability regarding specific social and economic groups (including gender issues) and the institutional and technical obstacles to the implementation of adaptation strategies. The framework will be based on the vision of a low carbon territory resilient to climate change. It aims at reducing risks, securing energy supply and contributing to regional economic development as well as to the climate policy objectives. CAs work would concentrate on 2 areas:
• Develop cost-effective local/regional energy supply schemes that minimise the carbon footprint of the community and are adapted to climate change impacts.
• Develop climate resilient urban surface water management techniques and guidance Further aspects will be developed after the identification of implementation partners. / P / P / P
4 / Heather Buttivant / Climate South East / UK / Climate South East is a partnership of over 60 organisations from across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in South East England. Climate South East aims to be the leading forum that engages, inspires and empowers the development and implementation of solutions for a region that is resilient to climate change and low-carbon, benefiting current and future generations. We work closely with partnerships and organisations in other regions and countries where possible and have contributed to various European projects, including as a partner in the ESPACE project.
1) Community Engagement in Practical Adaptation and Decision Making
It is generally accepted that environmental decision making is most effective when affected communities understand the issues and engage actively in the decision making process. Local knowledge can improve the workability of schemes and local acceptance of decisions can facilitate their implementation. Communities also have opportunities to take a lead in identifying the opportunities and risks that climate change presents for them, and coming together to take positive action.
There is an increasing public awareness of climate change and, in south east England, many communities are beginning to take action. Climate South East is working to bring together these examples and develop ways in which councils and other organisations can work in partnership with communities to support their response and to engage them in decision making. Our experience is that communities tend to initially focus their response to climate change on reducing CO2 emissions and then become more interested and better prepared to respond to climate impacts as their awareness and sense of agency increases. However, communities often have little access to information, tools or support to help them understand what a changing climate means for them, how to respond or how to engage in the decisions that will affect them.
This project will work with existing community engagement and development projects to develop communities’ knowledge of and response to the local impacts of climate change. It will draw on previous experiences of community projects, including the work carried out under the ESPACE project in the Manhood Peninsula. By working with a range of existing partners in the south east and seeking further partners elsewhere in Europe, we will engage with communities that are already starting to develop their awareness and are therefore well placed to start working on adaptation. The project will test approaches, information resources and different partnership arrangements with organisations to develop and demonstrate practical community plans and responses for adaptation. The project will share case studies and developing practical experience in applying models of community participation and engagement in decision making.
We will actively share this learning with all of our partners, with other regional partnerships across the UK, other project partners and with organisations and communities across the EU and beyond where possible.
In summary this project will deliver:
• Case studies of communities preparing for climate impacts
• Case studies of communities working in partnership with decision making bodies to determine solutions
• Case studies of community responses directly relevant to the focus areas of the wider project – transport, drainage etc (we will, where possible, create links between the development projects and active community groups in their areas)
• Shared community information resources including practical guidance, replicable models of engagement and examples
• Networks of those with experience of developing community engagement in adaptation
• Reviews of real-world experience, successes, issues emerging and learning to feed in to future work
2) Additional assistance and expertise
Climate South East has a wide network of partner organisations. Amongst our members we have a considerable resource of experience and expertise and can share information about adaptation projects that are taking place in the real world. We also have a number of specialist groups that bring our partner organisations together to work on issues such as planning, biodiversity, communities and tourism. We are keen to support the projects under the climate resilient communities project where possible as the project’s objectives are in close alignment with Climate South East’s aims.
We can envisage the partnership acting as an expert group that projects can call on, provided that coordination time and any travel and subsistence costs are met by the project. In particular we have developed considerable knowledge and experience of developing and reviewing organisational adaptive capacity, which we could usefully apply to planned schemes under the project and to their participant organisations. We can also link work taking place in the project with on the ground, practical work that is taking place across the Partnership in order to widen and integrate implementation of adaptation solutions.
In addition, we are keen to actively disseminate knowledge across and beyond the Partnership and have well developed tools and networks to facilitate this. / P
5 / Elodie VAXELAIRE / Conseil General of the Essonne / FR / We are willing to actively participate in the INTERREG IVB project, all along the two-step approach of our "Local Climate and Energy Plan":
·  2008 : definition of the "Local Climate and Energy Plan"
·  2009/2011 : implementation of the plan
Our efforts will be directed in two directions : first, to contribute to the decrease of the pace of the global warming, second, to adapt our territory to this major change. Our goal is to help both private actors to adapt their way of living to this new issue and economic actors to change the way they produce to promote a development-friendly approach. In parallel to that, hard measures will be implemented and assessed on a regular basis so as to act decisively against the global warming. Our main goal is to help to promote the awareness of everyone on this issue, from citizens to economic decision makers. Communication and formation campaign will be led, an internet website will be created and the use of modern communication devices will be promoted. A cycle of unrestricted and public conferences will be held throughout the department, and will deal with subjects such as "prevention of the lack of security in our energy supply". Our lessons learned will be brought to our European partners. Our "Local Climate and Energy plan" is therefore in close coordination with the INTERREG IVB project (especially with its second priority "monitoring risks and resources") and with the New Hampshire County Council project in both the definition of the goals that should be reached and the ways to achieve these results. / P
6 / Selena Graham
Tim Reeder / Environment Agency / UK / Project 1:
The Environment Agency is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. Our main areas include flood risk management, water resources, waste management and regulation. We are taking a leading role in climate change through advising government, regulation, predicting impacts and helping the country plan for and protect itself from a future of climatic uncertainty and rising sea levels.
Our focus for this project is primarily on change management and the human element, aiming to increase understanding, motivation and influence a change in behaviour in communities to help them increase and maintain their resilience from extreme events.
A number of communities have been affected by flooding in recent years including the extreme event of July 2007. We are working on engaging with these communities to increase their resilience to this increasing threat. It’s important to emphasise the benefits of taking action themselves rather than waiting for others. One important tool to deliver this is the creation of a community flood plan. We have developed a template and can provide advice and guidance for creating an efficient plan. We want to increase the effectiveness of delivering key messages about our services, advice on protecting homes and climate change awareness to empower communities to take action for themselves. It is recognised that the most efficient method of communicating a message is through peer conversation, so we will work in partnership with local community groups of all ages to achieve this.
We are currently working with Oxfordshire County Council, HR Wallingford and UK Climate Impacts Programme on projects across Oxfordshire. As these organisations are all Oxfordshire based, we would like to focus on Oxfordshire to deliver this project, although we will use what we learn elsewhere. We are keen to share experience and expertise on effective communications with organisations across Europe.