A framework for identifying cross-border impacts of climate change on the energy sector

Peer reviewe

The role of scale in integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation in cities

By using a scale framework, we examine how cross-scale interactions influence the implementation of climate adaptation and mitigation actions in different urban sectors. Based on stakeholder interviews and content analysis of strategies and projects relevant to climate adaptation and mitigation in the cities of Copenhagen and Helsinki, we present empirical examples of synergies, conflicts and trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation that are driven by the cross-scale interactions. These examples show that jurisdictional and institutional scales shape the implementation of adaptation and mitigation strategies, projects and tasks at the management scale, creating benefits of integrated solutions, but also challenges. Investigating the linkages between adaptation and mitigation through a scale framework provides new knowledge for urban climate change planning and decision-making. The results increase the understanding of why adaptation and mitigation are sometimes handled as two separate policy areas and also why attempts to integrate the two policies may fail.Peer reviewe

The role of solar energy for carbon neutrality in Helsinki Metropolitan area

Helsinki Metropolitan area possesses significant solar potential, which can be utilized by installing solar panels and collectors in the cities’ public and private premises to fulfill the emission reduction targets. However, current development of solar energy production in the region is in its infancy. This paper outlines how current state of solar energy utilization can be improved in public and private buildings and utility companies in the Helsinki Metropolitan area in terms of costs and financial mechanisms. We applied document analysis and semi-structured interview methods to study the role of solar energy for carbon neutrality in this area. The analyses showed that the Metropolitan cities do not have clear electricity production targets from solar energy yet. Furthermore, their subsidy schemes and financial measures for solar energy productions are not attractive for the promotion of solar energy. Thus, we propose the Metropolitan cities to adopt a policy outlining that a certain percentage (e.g. 20%) of energy should be produced from solar energy to achieve the 20% renewable energy target by 2020. Financial incentives and subsidy schemes for solar power installations should be more tempting and accessible to private and public building owners.Peer reviewe

Climate change transformations in Nordic agriculture?

Climate change is expected to have negative impacts but also to bring potential opportunities for agriculture and crop productivity in the Nordic countries. Little research has been conducted at the farmer level to identify what adaptation measures are being considered or already taken and transformative these are. Based on semi-structured interviews with farmers and extension officers from two of the most fertile agricultural areas of Finland and Sweden, this study examines to what extent Nordic farmers are engaged in transforming their farming systems. The results show that some transformational changes are taking place already but most changes are incremental. Currently, agricultural policies and regulations are perceived as a greater adaptation challenge than climate change.Peer reviewe

A systematic review of dynamics in climate risk and vulnerability assessments

Understanding climate risk is crucial for effective adaptation action, and a number of assessment methodologies have emerged. We argue that the dynamics of the individual components in climate risk and vulnerability assessments has received little attention. In order to highlight this, we systematically reviewed 42 sub-national climate risk and vulnerability assessments. We analysed the assessments using an analytical framework with which we evaluated (1) the conceptual approaches to vulnerability and exposure used, (2) if current or future risks were assessed, and (3) if and how changes over time (i.e. dynamics) were considered. Of the reviewed assessments, over half addressed future risks or vulnerability; and of these future-oriented studies, less than 1/3 considered both vulnerability and exposure dynamics. While the number of studies that include dynamics is growing, and while all studies included socio-economic aspects, often only biophysical dynamics was taken into account. We discuss the challenges of assessing socioeconomic and spatial dynamics, particularly the poor availability of data and methods. We suggest that future-oriented studies assessing risk dynamics would benefit from larger stakeholder involvement, discussion of the assessment purpose, the use of multiple methods, inclusion of uncertainty/sensitivity analyses and pathway approaches.Peer reviewe

Maladaptation in Nordic Agriculture

Climatic changes are expected to pose challenges to Nordic agriculture. While some changes may provide opportunities for higher productivity, others may severely increase agricultural vulnerability. Farmers attempt to adapt or cope with these changes by taking measures to decrease vulnerability or to take advantage of potential benefits, but little is known what outcomes these adaptation measures might have. This study identifies unintended negative impacts of adaptation measures, drawing on a literature review and interviews with farmers and agricultural officials and experts in Sweden and Finland. Based on the conceptual framework of maladaptation, this study identifies outcomes that either increase the vulnerability of the implementing actor, shift the vulnerability to other actors or sectors or affect common pool resources. While a large number of adaptation measures rebound vulnerability to the implementing actor, several potential maladaptive outcomes may shift vulnerability or affect common pool resources. The findings point to the large number of trade-offs that are involved in adaptation decision-making and lead to the conclusion that raising awareness of these aspects can support future adaptation strategies.Peer reviewe

Identifying mismatches between institutional perceptions of water-related risk drivers and water management strategies in three river basin areas

Peer reviewe

The need for non-climate services – empirical evidence from Finnish municipalities

Peer reviewe

Planning for a green city : The Green Factor tool

In recent years, new planning tools have emerged to aid planners to achieve multiple goals to sustainability. The Green Factor tool has been adopted by some cities to increase the share and effectiveness of green areas. This short communication asks how useful the Green Factor tool is and how it fits with the existing planning procedures regarding green areas through a qualitative case study in the city of Helsinki. The results show that while the tool functions well, improvements could be made in relation to monitoring, for example. Also, an ambitious target set in the tool could encourage or force developers to aim higher with the planning of green areas and construction, but existing regulations challenge its use.Peer reviewe

Learning in urban climate governance: concepts, key issues and challenges

Over the past decade, diverse urban governance innovations and experiments have emerged with the declared aim to foster climate change mitigation and adaptation, involving actors at multiple levels and scales. This urban turn in environmental governance has been accompanied by normative claims and high expectations regarding a leading role of cities in coping with climate change. However, while time pressures for effective action are growing, little is known about the social learning processes involved in such urban climate governance innovations, and what they actually contribute to achieve the required transformations in urban systems. Therefore, this special issue presents eight selected papers that explore learning in urban climate governance practices in a variety of local, national and international contexts. Their findings point to a more ambiguous role of these practices as they tend to support incremental adjustments rather than deeper social learning for radical systemic change. Against this backdrop we propose a heuristic distinguishing basic modes and sources in governance learning that aims to facilitate future empirical research and comparison, thus filling a critical theory gap. Using this framework for interpretation illustrates that urban climate governance learning urgently requires more openness, parallel processes, exogenous sources, as well as novel meta-learning practices.Peer reviewe