Planning for resilience to climatic extremes and variability: A review of Swedish municipalities’ adaptation responses

Climate change poses a serious challenge to sustainable urban development worldwide. In Sweden, climate change work at the city level emerged in 1996 and has long had a focus on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. City planners’ “adaptation turn” is recent and still ongoing. This paper presents a meta-evaluation of Swedish municipal adaptation approaches, and how they relate to institutional structures at different levels. The results show that although increasing efforts are being put into the identification of barriers to adaptation planning, in contrast, there is little assessment or systematization of the actual adaptation measures and mainstreaming strategies taken. On this basis, opportunities for advancing a more comprehensive approach to sustainable adaptation planning at both the local and institutional level are discussed

Promoting nature-based solutions: Guideline for integrating ecosystem-based adaptation into municipal planning and governance

This guideline offers local government officers and local politicians process‐oriented assistance for integrating ecosystem‐based adaptation within relevant sectors of municipal administration with the aim of fostering sustainable urban development. It is thus an instrument to support leadership of this integration process. The levels and areas where integration of ecosystem‐based adaptation isrelevant are systematically presented. This permits the planning and evaluation of potential interventions and measures

The urban domino effect: a conceptualization of cities’ interconnectedness of risk, Input paper

Cities are both at risk and the cause of risk. The interconnectedness of urban features and systems increases the likelihood of complex disasters and a cascade or ‘domino’ effect from related impacts. However, the lack of research means that our knowledge of urban risk is both scarce and fragmented. This paper presents a framework for understanding and addressing urban risk. It examines the unique dynamics of risk in urban settings and exemplifies its particularities with data and analysis of specific cases. From this, it identifies improvements both in the content and indicators of the successor to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA2) that will be adopted in 2015. While it is common to see disasters as ‘causes’, and the destruction of the built environment as ‘effects’, this paper highlights that the intricate links between cities and disasters cannot be described by a unidirectional cause-and-effect relationship. The city–disasters nexus is a bidirectional relationship, which constantly shapes, and is shaped by, other processes (such as climate change). This paper demonstrates how the characteristics of the urban fabric (physical/ spatial, environmental, social, economic and political/ institutional) and related systems increase risk by: (i) intensifying hazards or creating new ones, (ii) exacerbating vulnerabilities, and (iii) negatively affecting existing response and recovery mechanisms. We argue that in-depth knowledge of the links between cities’ characteristic features, related systems and disasters is indispensable for addressing root causes and mainstreaming risk reduction into urban sector work. It enables city authorities and other urban actors to improve and adapt their work without negatively influencing the interconnectedness of urban risk

Planning for climate change in urban areas : From theory to practice

Climate change poses a serious threat to sustainable urban development, placing many cities at risk. As a consequence, city authorities are increasingly facing the challenge of finding ways to include adaptation strategies into their work, although related knowledge and competence is still scarce and fragmented. With the aim to contribute to knowledge development and organizational learning, the objective of this paper is to critically review and compare current theoretical and practical approaches to adaptation planning in cities. In order to do so, first the conceptual characteristics and features of a climate resilient city are identified. Second, the reciprocal linkages between climate-related disasters, urban form and city planning processes are analysed e by considering the life cycle of disasters from causes, to short- and long-term impacts, to post-disaster response and recovery. Finally, urban adaptation measures proposed for both developed and so-called developing countries are assessed. On the basis of the identified differences, gaps and synergies between the theoretical and practical approaches to adaptation planning, the implications for improving sustainable urban transformation are discussed

Adapting Cities : Ecosystem-based approaches and citizen engagement in municipal climate adaptation in Scania, Sweden

Even if current attempts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions would succeed, society-wide adjustment to the harmful effects of climate change is urgently needed. This process is known as climate adaptation. Cities face particular risks from climate change, and there is increasing evidence that traditional approaches, which have often relied on technical solutions and top-down management structures, will not be enough. However, little is known about how new approaches and emerging actors are integrated into and exert influence in urban adaptation governance. In particular, there is a lack of research on citizens’ role in adaptation in the Global North.This thesis investigates the role and potential of two approaches – ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and citizen engagement in adaptation – in reducing risk from adverse climate events at the local level. I do this by using an interdisciplinary and mixed methods approach, which entails reviewing scientific evidence from urban case studies worldwide, and empirically examining adaptation processes in south-Swedish municipalities. In particular, I examine how and on what basis EbA is applied in cities; how and for what reasons Swedish citizens engage in adaptation; and the implications of, and synergies between, the two approaches in local adaptation governance.The results show that although, in the main, EbA and citizen engagement have not occurred in explicit and deliberate ways, they can support municipal adaptation and address underlying risk drivers. On one hand, there are growing experiences with urban EbA in both the global and Swedish contexts. These are implemented under a variety of terms (e.g., ecosystem services, green infrastructure) and often lack a strategic, long-term climate risk perspective, such as assessment of current and projected future risks and vulnerabilities. On the other hand, citizens’ engagement in adaptation – alone, together, and in interaction with municipalities – has had significant outcomes for local adaptation, but their efforts are poorly supported and/or channelled by municipalities. Citizens’ personal experience of hazards is a strong driver of action; however, factors such as ecological values and identification with place also play a role. At the municipal level, the identified modes of citizen engagement are diverse, comprising collaboration (two-way dialogue), contestation (challenge and confrontation), compliance (enforcing mandatory citizen action) and choice (stimulating voluntary citizen action) – all of which were found to shape local adaptation. In addition, I reveal how responsibility for adaptation is shifting to citizens without any change in laws or policy, which risks hitting hardest against those most at risk. Finally, I also identify synergies between the two approaches, and suggest that EbA may serve as a better entry point for citizen engagement in adaptation than technical measures. Beyond the empirical insights about municipal adaptation processes in Sweden, this thesis makes three essential contributions: (1) it synthesises and assesses the field of urban EbA and identifies key research gaps; (2) it furthers theory on citizen engagement in local adaptation and presents an analytical framework for citizen–municipality ‘adaptation interactions’; and (3) it contributes to the academic discussion on how transformational, rather than incremental, climate adaptation may look in practice

Disasters, formal education and adaptive capacity - Does people’s level of formal education influence their risk from climate-related disasters? A case study of an informal settlement in Rio de Janeiro

With a worldwide increase in climate-related disasters and the global temperature on the rise, the effects of climate change are already being felt. Among those most at risk are the poor in developing countries, often living in informal settlements or „slums‟. In order to reduce associated risks and strengthen people‟s own coping capacities, there is an urgent need for knowledge about the factors that determine people‟s capacity to cope with and adapt to adverse climate conditions. This study examines the influence of formal education, as opposed to income, in determining the adaptive capacity for the residents of Rocinha, an informal settlement in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where floods and landslides are recurrent. The research thereby explores the potential of promoting formal education as a way to increase people‟s capacity to cope with adverse climate effects. The information for the study was gathered through observations, interviews with residents and key informants in Rocinha, and literature review. Both statistical and qualitative analyses have been made of the data gathered. The statistical analysis investigates how formal education influences people‟s level of risk, including their coping strategies and the institutional support they receive. In the qualitative analysis, the direct and secondary effects that education may have on risk and people‟s adaptive capacity are explored. The research results indicate that formal education has a more significant role in determining people‟s level of risk and their coping capacities than what has hitherto been acknowledged. In fact, the study identified the importance of people‟s level of education for their awareness and understanding of existing risks. It was further revealed that in the study area, formal education plays a more determinant role for women than for men to their capacity to cope with disasters. In addition, it became obvious how formal education can have a mitigating effect on factors such as poor health, teenage pregnancy, littering, substance abuse, organised drug trade and illegitimate growth of the settlement – all of which were found to exacerbate people‟s level of risk. On this basis, it is concluded that promoting formal education as a way to increase people‟s coping or adaptive capacities is justified, not only due to its potential influence in increasing people‟s level of income

Intressentdialogen i fokus : En studie om interaktionen mellan företag och ideella organisationer angående ansvar- och hållbarhetsfrågor

Studien ämnar undersöka hur intressentdialogen initieras och vad som sker mellan ett vinstdrivande företag och ideella organisationer, även kallade NGOs. Företag har idag en stor påverkan på samhället, där NGOs är en av företagens viktigaste intressenter. NGOs kan utöva påverkan på företag genom dialoger och företagen kan med framgång ta hjälp av NGOs i arbetet med ansvar- och hållbarhetsfrågor, även benämnt som CSR. Med utgångspunkt i teorin om intressenter och Triple Bottom Line visar studien, via tre olika intressentdialoger, hur dialogen initieras, vad syftet är samt vilka frågor som diskuteras. Vidare identifieras vilka frågor det råder konsensus och i vilka det kan uppstå konflikter. Genom en intervjustudie med representanter från sex organisationer, framkommer det att det råder till stor del konsensus. Det har sin förklaring i syftet med dialogen, den transparens som föreligger och en ökad medvetenhet hos företagen. De frågor där det uppkommer konflikter har bland annat berört finansiella kunskaper hos NGOs, riktning av donerade pengar och praktiskt arbete med projekt

The role of individual adaptive practice for sustainable adaptation

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the strategies used by Swedish citizens to adapt to changing climate variability and extremes. There is an increasing consensus that individual adaptive capacities are critical to successfully adapt to climate change and achieve sustainable development. However, little is known about individual adaptive practices, particularly in developed countries. Design/methodology/approach – The study covered a variety of geographical areas and included single-case studies of specific locations, cross-case studies and country-wide studies. Data were collected through literature review, interviews with at-risk people, observation and group discussions with municipal staff. Findings – The paper provides an overview of Swedish citizens’ adaptive practices and highlights how institutional development efforts affect individuals and their activities, including the equitable distribution of adaptation needs and resources. The paper concludes that individual adaptive capacities do not necessarily translate into adaptation. Practical implications – The results show that planned interventions are required. They emphasise the importance of more people-oriented adaptation planning that fosters the sustainable transformation of cities, together with the role that South-North knowledge transfer can play in this context. Originality/value – The paper offers critical insights into the positive and negative effects of citizens’adaptation strategies (based on criteria such as effectiveness, sustainability and equity), and it discusses their relevance in the formulation of development policies and programmes

Mindsets for Sustainability : Exploring the Link Between Mindfulness and Sustainable Climate Adaptation

Growing globalisation and climate change are challenging the sustainability of our societies. It is now clear that climate change and its devastating impacts cannot be resolved by new technology or governance alone. They require a broader, cultural shift. As a result, the role of human beings' ‘inner dimensions’ and related transformations is attracting increased attention from researchers. Recent advances in neuroscience suggest for instance that mindfulness can open new pathways towards sustainability. However, the role of mindfulness in climate adaptation has been largely ignored. This paper is the first exploratory empirical investigation into linking individuals' intrinsic mindfulness (as opposed to outside mindfulness interventions) to pro- and reactive climate adaptation. Based on a survey of citizens at risk from severe climate events, we explore if, and how individual mindfulness is correlated with climate adaptation at different scales. The results show that individual mindfulness coincides with higher motivation to take climate adaptation actions or to support them, especially actions that are ‘other-focused’ or support pro-environmental behaviour. Mindfulness may also corroborate the acknowledgement of climate change and associated risk perception, and it may steer people away from fatalistic attitudes. We conclude with a call for more research into the relationship between human beings' inner dimensions and climate adaptation in the wider public domain