Groot, S. de

Koomen, E.

de Groot, S.

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VU Research PortalClimate aspects and strategic environmental assessment in spatial planningde Groot, S.; Koomen, E.published inAbstracts scientific programmes deltas in depth2010document versionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordLink to publication in VU Research Portalcitation for published version (APA)de Groot, S., & Koomen, E. (2010). Climate aspects and strategic environmental assessment in spatial planning.In P. Kabat, & P. Vellinga (Eds.), Abstracts scientific programmes deltas in depth Deltas in times of climatechange.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.            • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.            • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain            • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ?Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.E-mail address:vuresearchportal.ub@vu.nlDownload date: 23. May. 2021In: Kabat, P. & Vellinga, P. (eds.) Abstracts Scientific Programme Deltas in Depth.  International conference Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 29 September-1 October 2010  Climate aspects and Strategic Environmental Assessment in spatial planning Simone de Groot2 and Eric Koomen1,2 1Geodan Next, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands  Various aspects of climate change call for explicit attention in spatial planning as they may limit potential future spatial developments (Kabat et al., 2005; Van Leeuwen et al., 2009). Conversely, spatial planning may impact climate change aspects. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a useful method to help address the interrelations between climate change and spatial planning in a consistent manner as will be proposed in this paper. The paper first describes how SEA should ideally be used to incorporate climate change aspects in spatial planning. It then analyses current practice in two recent Regional Spatial Strategies drafted by Dutch provinces (regional administrations) and then discusses existing barriers to the proper inclusion of climate change considerations in planning. Finally a number of suggestions is presented to overcome these obstacles.  Strategic Environmental Assessment is “a process that aims to integrate environmental and sustainability considerations in strategic decision-making” (Therivel, 2004, p. 3). It is based on the idea that knowledge leads to better-founded decisions and aims to ensure that environmental consequences of a proposed policy or plan are fully included and appropriately addressed at the earliest stage of decision making on par with economic and social consideration (Sadler and Verheem, 1996).   The paper focuses on a specific, new type of strategic spatial plans -Regional Spatial Strategies- that are the main guiding documents in spatial planning at the regional and local level in the Netherlands. They are an essential step in translati g relatively abstract global and national level developments and regulations to the more practical lo level. They are a relatively new phenomenon in Dutch spatial planning and follow from the new national Spatial Planning Act introduced in 2008 that calls for a more pro-active rol  of Dutch provinces in spatial planning. Regional Spatial Strategies typically focus on the year 2020, but often have a further outlook on additional developments until 2040 and should thus ake note of potential changes in climatic conditions and related impacts such as flood risk, salinisation or the urban heat island effect.   The paper analyses the incorporation of climate aspct  in two recent Regional Spatial Strategies (Province of Overijssel, 2009; Province of Zuid-Holland, 2009) and concludes that the relationship between the planning and SEA processes can be strengthened with the following organisational provisions. First of all SEA should be started early in the planning process. Secondly SEA should be actively linked with the step  and milestones of the planning process. Following the legal requirements of SEA too strictly poses a barrier to the adequate incorporation of climate aspects in spatial planning.   Furthermore, it is clear that ample attention should be given to the specific role of climate aspects in each of the subsequent phases of SEA. In the exploration phase, for instance, attention should especially be paid to the constraints posed by (changes in) climatic conditions. A barrier for properly addressing climate change issues in SEA is the lack of accessible knowledge on specific climate impacts. Even when such knowledge exists, it is often too dispersed or abstract to be directly useful.   In: Kabat, P. & Vellinga, P. (eds.) Abstracts Scientific Programme Deltas in Depth.  International conference Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 29 September-1 October 2010  References Eickhout, B., Van Meijl, H., Tabeau, A. and Van Rheen n, T. (2007) Economic and ecological consequences of four European land use scenarios. Land Use Policy 24: 562-575.  Kabat, P., van Vierssen, W., Veraart, J., Vellinga, P. and Aerts, J. (17-11-2005) Climate proofing the Netherlands. Nature 438(7066): 283-284.  Koomen, E., Loonen, W. and Hilferink, M. (2008) Climate-change adaptations in land-use planning; a scenario-based approach. In: Bernard, L., Friis-Christensen, A. and Pundt, H. (eds.), The European Information Society; Taking Geoinformation Science One Step Further. Springer, Berlin, pp. 261-282. Perez-Soba, M., Verburg, P.H., Koomen, E., Hilferink, M., Benito, P., Lesschen, J.P., Banse, M., Woltjer, G., Eickhout, B., Prins, A.-G. and Staritsky, I. (2010) Land use modelling - implementation; Preserving and enhancing the enviromental benefits of "land-use services". Final report to the European Commission, DG Environment.  Alterra Wageningen UR/ Geodan Next/ Object Vision/ BIOS/ LEI and PBL, Wageningen.  Van Leeuwen, E., Koetse, M., Koomen, E. and Rietveld, P. (2009) Spatial economic research on climate change and adaptation; Literature review for 'Knowledge for Climate'. KfC report number KfC 002/09. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.  Van Meijl, H., Van Rheenen, T., Tabeau, A. and Eickhout, B. (2006) The impact of different policy environments on agricultural land use in Europe. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 114(1): 21-38.    

English

Climate aspects and strategic environmental assessment in spatial planning

DSpace at VU

In: Kabat, P. & Vellinga, P. (eds.) Abstracts Scientific Programme Deltas in Depth.  
International conference Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 29 September-1 October 2010 
 
Climate aspects and Strategic Environmental Assessment in spatial planning 
Simone de Groot2 and Eric Koomen1,2 
1Geodan Next, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 
 
Various aspects of climate change call for explicit attention in spatial planning as they may limit 
potential future spatial developments (Kabat et al., 2005; Van Leeuwen et al., 2009). Conversely, 
spatial planning may impact climate change aspects. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) 
is a useful method to help address the interrelations between climate change and spatial planning 
in a consistent manner as will be proposed in this paper. The paper first describes how SEA 
should ideally be used to incorporate climate change aspects in spatial planning. It then analyses 
current practice in two recent Regional Spatial Strategies drafted by Dutch provinces (regional 
administrations) and then discusses existing barriers to the proper inclusion of climate change 
considerations in planning. Finally a number of suggestions is presented to overcome these 
obstacles. 
 
Strategic Environmental Assessment is “a process that aims to integrate environmental and 
sustainability considerations in strategic decision-making” (Therivel, 2004, p. 3). It is based on 
the idea that knowledge leads to better-founded decisions and aims to ensure that environmental 
consequences of a proposed policy or plan are fully included and appropriately addressed at the 
earliest stage of decision making on par with economic and social consideration (Sadler and 
Verheem, 1996).  
 
The paper focuses on a specific, new type of strategic spatial plans -Regional Spatial Strategies- 
that are the main guiding documents in spatial planning at the regional and local level in the 
Netherlands. They are an essential step in translating relatively abstract global and national level 
developments and regulations to the more practical local level. They are a relatively new 
phenomenon in Dutch spatial planning and follow from the new national Spatial Planning Act 
introduced in 2008 that calls for a more pro-active role of Dutch provinces in spatial planning. 
Regional Spatial Strategies typically focus on the year 2020, but often have a further outlook on 
additional developments until 2040 and should thus take note of potential changes in climatic 
conditions and related impacts such as flood risk, salinisation or the urban heat island effect.  
 
The paper analyses the incorporation of climate aspects in two recent Regional Spatial Strategies 
(Province of Overijssel, 2009; Province of Zuid-Holland, 2009) and concludes that the 
relationship between the planning and SEA processes can be strengthened with the following 
organisational provisions. First of all SEA should be started early in the planning process. 
Secondly SEA should be actively linked with the steps and milestones of the planning process. 
Following the legal requirements of SEA too strictly poses a barrier to the adequate 
incorporation of climate aspects in spatial planning.  
 
Furthermore, it is clear that ample attention should be given to the specific role of climate 
aspects in each of the subsequent phases of SEA. In the exploration phase, for instance, attention 
should especially be paid to the constraints posed by (changes in) climatic conditions. A barrier 
for properly addressing climate change issues in SEA is the lack of accessible knowledge on 
specific climate impacts. Even when such knowledge exists, it is often too dispersed or abstract 
to be directly useful.  
 
In: Kabat, P. & Vellinga, P. (eds.) Abstracts Scientific Programme Deltas in Depth.  
International conference Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 29 September-1 October 2010 
 
References 
Eickhout, B., Van Meijl, H., Tabeau, A. and Van Rheenen, T. (2007) Economic and ecological 
consequences of four European land use scenarios. Land Use Policy 24: 562-575.  
Kabat, P., van Vierssen, W., Veraart, J., Vellinga, P. and Aerts, J. (17-11-2005) Climate proofing 
the Netherlands. Nature 438(7066): 283-284.  
Koomen, E., Loonen, W. and Hilferink, M. (2008) Climate-change adaptations in land-use 
planning; a scenario-based approach. In: Bernard, L., Friis-Christensen, A. and Pundt, H. 
(eds.), The European Information Society; Taking Geoinformation Science One Step 
Further. Springer, Berlin, pp. 261-282. 
Perez-Soba, M., Verburg, P.H., Koomen, E., Hilferink, M., Benito, P., Lesschen, J.P., Banse, M., 
Woltjer, G., Eickhout, B., Prins, A.-G. and Staritsky, I. (2010) Land use modelling - 
implementation; Preserving and enhancing the environmental benefits of "land-use 
services". Final report to the European Commission, DG Environment.  Alterra 
Wageningen UR/ Geodan Next/ Object Vision/ BIOS/ LEI and PBL, Wageningen.  
Van Leeuwen, E., Koetse, M., Koomen, E. and Rietveld, P. (2009) Spatial economic research on 
climate change and adaptation; Literature review for 'Knowledge for Climate'. KfC report 
number KfC 002/09. Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam.  
Van Meijl, H., Van Rheenen, T., Tabeau, A. and Eickhout, B. (2006) The impact of different 
policy environments on agricultural land use in Europe. Agriculture, Ecosystems & 
Environment 114(1): 21-38.  
 
 


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