Thanks to Richard Ashley for these four articles
Urban adaptation to climate change in Europe 2016 — Transforming cities in a changing climate
This report builds on and complements existing products and initiatives on urban adaptation in Europe. It focuses on the state of actions in the field and progress achieved since the first EEA report in 2012, and it considers this analysis in relation to current challenges: Do existing actions lead to attractive, climate-resilient cities and if not, what needs to be changed? The report aims to broaden perspectives and provide input to a review and subsequent adjustment of urban adaptation to climate change by local governments and by supporting regional, national and European institutions, researchers and other relevant stakeholders.
Appropriate Flood Adaptation: Socio-technical flood resilience in water sensitive cities: Adaptation across spatial and temporal scales
The report, ‘Appropriate flood adaptation: Adapting in the right way, in the right place and at the right time‘, was developed by William Veerbeek, Dr Berry Gersonius, Professor Richard Ashley, Jeroen Rijke, Mohanasundar Radhakrishnan and Carlos Salinas Rodriguez from UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education.
Change-induced extreme weather events are already forcing slow adaptation by existing cities, many of which are now demanding a reconsideration of how built-up areas are designed.
A new report by researchers in the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities’ (CRCWSC) project Socio-technical flood resilience in water sensitive cities: Adaptation across spatial and temporal scales (Project B4.2) provides insights into why and how cities are increasingly improving their climate change preparedness through the process of ‘mainstreaming’. Mainstreaming is the practice of integrating adaptation into decision-making across a range of policy areas, rather than by implementing standalone measures. To be successful, the practice needs to be followed by the full suite of government departments, particularly by policymakers in urban planning, environmental management, urban drainage and water management. Click here to read more.
How the people of Rotterdam see green space, water and infrastructure
Now that urban greening is increasingly seen as a climate adaptation strategy, the question is how to best provide the necessary green space. Where, at which scale, and what type of greenery? Which design is preferred? And how can municipalities increase public support for green adaptation measures? To find answers to these questions, we need to investigate local needs. This story illustrates residents’ needs in two different neighborhoods in the Dutch architectural and cultural capital, Rotterdam. Click here to read more.
Reopening the River Roch in Rochdale and reducing flood risk
Richard Farnell, Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, reflects on an Environment Agency backed project to reopen the River Roch in Rochdale town centre and reveal its historic hidden bridge.
When I found out that the Environment Agency and Heritage Lottery Fund were backing this project, I was heartened, not just because we needed their support to make it a reality, but because it felt like they believed in Rochdale as much as I do. I’ve seen the borough, particularly Rochdale town centre, go through many changes over the years and, like many northern towns, we suffered when the recession hit. Well-known shops shut down, leading the vacancy rate to soar well above the national average.
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