From rain as risk to rain as resource: Professional and organizational changes in urban rainwater management

2021 ◽  
pp. 001139212098623
Author(s):  
Marie Leth Meilvang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Professional Group ◽  
Organizational Practices ◽  
Engineering Profession ◽  
Organizational Changes ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Rainwater Management

This article analyzes the recent changes in urban rainwater management practices by analyzing the work of urban rainwater professionals. As a result of climate change, cities are experiencing more frequent and heavier rainfall events. The article shows how professional work on new infrastructures for managing urban climate rain contributes to the transformation of organizational practices. The article shows how a professional group within the engineering profession – climate adaptation engineers – reconceptualize how rain in cities is valued from a risk into a resource. By reconceptualizing urban rain, climate adaptation engineers contribute to the transformation of organizational practices in the emerging field of climate adaptation. Empirically, the article analyses interviews, documents, and fieldnotes from three urban rainwater management projects in Denmark which all deal with excess rainwater resulting from climate change.

Droughts, floods and freshwater ecosystems: evaluating climate change impacts and developing adaptation strategies

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Aldous ◽  
James Fitzsimons ◽  
Brian Richter ◽  
Leslie Bach
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia

Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on hydrologic regimes and freshwater ecosystems, and yet few basins have adequate numerical models to guide the development of freshwater climate adaptation strategies. Such strategies can build on existing freshwater conservation activities, and incorporate predicted climate change impacts. We illustrate this concept with three case studies. In the Upper Klamath Basin of the western USA, a shift in land management practices would buffer this landscape from a declining snowpack. In the Murray–Darling Basin of south-eastern Australia, identifying the requirements of flood-dependent natural values would better inform the delivery of environmental water in response to reduced runoff and less water. In the Savannah Basin of the south-eastern USA, dam managers are considering technological and engineering upgrades in response to more severe floods and droughts, which would also improve the implementation of recommended environmental flows. Even though the three case studies are in different landscapes, they all contain significant freshwater biodiversity values. These values are threatened by water allocation problems that will be exacerbated by climate change, and yet all provide opportunities for the development of effective climate adaptation strategies.

scholarly journals EXTREME EVENTS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION IN THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Marques Di Giulio ◽  
Roger Rodrigues Torres ◽  
Maria da Penha Vasconcellos ◽  
Diego R. G. C. Braga ◽  
Rosa Maria Mancini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Extreme Events ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
The State ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Extreme Climatic Events

Abstract In this paper, we analyze secondary data from surveys focusing on climate change and adaptation in Sao Paulo municipalities. The survey was completed by municipal actors who work in 332 of the 645 municipalities in the State. In this paper, we use a theoretical framework on urban climate governance, which highlights the role that local governments play in proposing strategies to deal with climate change, to present and discuss data related to: 1) the occurrence of extreme climatic events in these municipalities; 2) the impacts of these events; 3) local government actors’ perception about climate change; and 4) local actions and responses. Our analysis of these data significantly contributes to better understanding how cities in the most populous and economically developed state in Brazil perceive, respond and deal with climate change and what critical challenges hamper climate adaptation in these cities.

scholarly journals Urban India and Climate Change

2019 ◽  
pp. 459-476
Author(s):  
Radhika Khosla ◽  
Ankit Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Urban Forms ◽  
Climate Risks ◽  
Urban India ◽  
Lock In

India will undergo immense urbanization in the coming decades, doubling its urban population by 2050. This transformation is unique as it will come at the time when the impacts of, as well as the global momentum to respond to, climate change heighten. India’s urban transformation will, therefore, have deep implications for not only local welfare and environmental conditions but also for climate mitigation and climate adaptation. As most of urban India is yet to be built, India has a unique opportunity to lock-in low-carbon, resilient, and equitable urban forms for the long term. This chapter discusses the evolution of India’s urban climate actions, from addressing climate risks to, more recently, mitigation, while also exploring the governance characteristics of these actions. These actions, while nascent, provide an indication that the future trajectory of urban responses to climate change will be shaped by how local development and climate goals will be linked and prioritized.

scholarly journals Exploring the Role of Outdoor Recreation to Contribute to Urban Climate Resilience

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 6268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Beery
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Parks And Recreation ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Climate Action

Climate resilience is an important mix of climate mitigation and climate adaptation designed to minimize current and future disruption while promoting opportunity. Given the importance of the regional and local arena for consideration of impacts of climate change trends and needs for climate action, climate resilience in one community, Duluth, Minnesota, is considered. At the core of this project is the climate resilience question: what can we currently be doing in our communities to prepare for projected climate change while simultaneously improving life for current residents and visitors? Given the growing importance of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism in Duluth, the role this sector may be able to play in climate resilience is considered. Using action research methodology, the research process of adjusting, presenting, and conducting follow-up from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Adaptation for Coastal Communities workshop is presented. The study takes a unique look at one workshop outcome, a Duluth Parks and Recreation planning tool. Specifically, a resilience checklist is presented as a useful sample outcome of the overall process. Beyond the study community, the role of outdoor recreation to serve climate resilience is explored and affirmed.

scholarly journals Green Roofs and Greenpass

Buildings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scharf ◽  
Kraus
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Urban Energy Balance

The United Nations have identified climate change as the greatest threat to human life. As current research shows, urban areas are more vulnerable to climate change than rural areas. Numerous people are affected by climate change in their daily life, health and well-being. The need to react is undisputed and has led to numerous guidelines and directives for urban climate adaptation. Plants are commonly mentioned and recommended as one key to urban climate adaptation. Due to shading of open space and building surfaces, as well as evapotranspiration, plants reduce the energy load on the urban fabric and increase thermal comfort and climate resilience amongst many other ecosystem services. Plants, therefore, are described as green infrastructure (GI), because of the beneficial effects they provide. Extensive green roofs are often discussed regarding their impact on thermal comfort for pedestrians and physical properties of buildings. By means of Stadslab2050 project Elief Playhouse in Antwerp, Belgium, a single-story building in the courtyard of a perimeter block, the effects of different extensive green roof designs (A and B) on the microclimate, human comfort at ground and roof level, as well as building physics are analyzed and compared to the actual roofing (bitumen membrane) as the Status Quo variant. For the analyses and evaluation of the different designs the innovative Green Performance Assessment System (GREENPASS®) method has been chosen. The planning tool combines spatial and volumetric analyses with complex 3D microclimate simulations to calculate key performance indicators such as thermal comfort score, thermal storage score, thermal load score, run-off and carbon sequestration. Complementary maps and graphs are compiled. Overall, the chosen method allows to understand, compare and optimize project designs and performance. The results for the Elief Playhouse show that the implementation of green roofs serves a slight contribution to the urban energy balance but a huge impact on the building and humans. Variant B with entire greening performs better in all considered indicators, than the less greened design Variant A and the actual Status Quo. Variant B will probably bring a greater cost/benefit than Variant A and is thus recommended.

scholarly journals The Role of Health in Urban Climate Adaptation: An Analysis of Six U.S. Cities

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark M. Shimamoto ◽  
Sabrina McCormick
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Climate Action Plan

Abstract Climate change threatens the health of urban residents in many ways. This qualitative study aims to understand how six U.S. cities are considering health adaptation when responding to climate change; 65 semistructured interviews were conducted with salient stakeholders across six U.S. cities (Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Tucson, Arizona), and transcripts were analyzed to identify common themes. Each city’s (or county’s) most recent climate action plan was also analyzed. This study found that interviewees’ ability to understand the connection between climate and health was a major determinant for health adaptation implementation. In addition, institutional fragmentation in governance made it difficult to incorporate health concerns into broader climate planning. However, cross-sectoral collaborations and considerations of health cobenefits were shown to help overcome these barriers. These findings offer valuable insight regarding how policy makers and practitioners can safeguard public health from the effects of climate change.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurial Strategies to Address Rural-Urban Climate-Induced Vulnerabilities: Assessing Adaptation and Innovation Measures in Dhaka, Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9115
Author(s):  
Jason Miklian ◽  
Kristian Hoelscher
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Entrepreneurial Strategies ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Adaptation And Mitigation

Climate change amplifies social, political, economic, infrastructural and environmental challenges in many Global South cities, and perhaps no city is more vulnerable than Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka. Climate-induced rural–urban migration is a profound concern, and Dhaka’s political leaders have embraced technology-based innovation as one solution pathway. This article explores the societal impact of Dhaka’s innovation environment strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Employing a case study qualitative methodology, our three findings expand knowledge about innovation for urban climate adaptation and mitigation as understood by Dhaka-based entrepreneurs. First, the most effective innovations were not the most technologically advanced, but those with the highest degree of participant ownership. Second, gaps between recipient, corporate and governmental understandings of effective mitigation and adaptation harmed projects were driven by different definitions of risk and competing understandings of vulnerability. Third, even the most technical climate adaptation measures were inherently political in their application. We discuss how to better position urban climate innovation infrastructures in Bangladesh and beyond, including developing a better recognition of innovation lifecycles for urban climate adaptation and widening our definitions of “innovation” to better incorporate more effective and inclusive climate adaptation solutions.

scholarly journals Beyond participation: when citizen engagement leads to undesirable outcomes for nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation

2019 ◽  
Vol 158 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Wamsler ◽  
J. Alkan-Olsson ◽  
H. Björn ◽  
H. Falck ◽  
H. Hanson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Citizen Involvement ◽  
Citizen Engagement ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Sectoral Planning ◽  
Relational Capacities

Abstract Scholars and practitioners are increasingly promoting so-called nature-based approaches for urban climate change adaptation. There is widespread consensus that they both support and require transdisciplinary approaches, notably by involving citizens in the change process and finding innovative ways to unite different actors’ efforts and capacities. However, there is little empirical evidence regarding the actual value of citizen involvement to sustainability in this field. Against this background, this paper examines whether (or not) current forms and conditions of citizen involvement help to create a platform to support nature-based solutions and ensure a transformative adaptation process. The results show that under current conditions, citizen engagement often hampers sustainable outcomes. In fact, current structures and mechanisms for mainstreaming nature and climate considerations into sectoral planning are limited and, furthermore, neglect citizen involvement. In addition, there is a blind spot with respect to personal spheres of transformation toward sustainability regarding citizens, civil servants, and decision-makers. Key constraints are power structures and the lack of cognitive/emotional and relational capacities required for improved democratic governance. If we are to tap into the potential of nature-based solutions to increase climate adaptation governance, we need targeted financial and human resources, and greater capacity to overcome current constraints and support all levels and phases of mainstreaming, notably planning, implementation, monitoring, and learning.

scholarly journals Urban climate adaptation and the reshaping of state–society relations: The politics of community knowledge and mobilisation in Indore, India

Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 1766-1782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric K Chu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Political Networks ◽  
Infrastructure Provision ◽  
Indian City ◽  
Urban Futures ◽  
Adaptation Processes

Current research on climate change adaptation in cities highlights the role of local governments in facilitating adaptation actions, but rarely assesses whether (and if so, how) local communities organise around emerging climate priorities to affect political change. This paper explores changing state–society relationships through the reconstitution of community collectives and advocacy organisations for advancing climate change adaptation in the Indian city of Indore. The paper shows that communities are indeed recognising the need for adaptation but are, at the same time, integrating adaptation actions with existing strategies for advocating development rights. Communities are also rebuilding alliances between municipal and local institutions for public service and infrastructure provision, which point to the centrality of community politics in urban climate adaptation processes. However, such mobilisations are often dependent on existing political networks and a legacy of advocacy around poverty alleviation needs, which sideline more transformative agendas around inclusiveness, equity, and resilient urban futures.

Towards endogenous disasters and climate adaptation policy making in Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Nugraha ◽  
Jonatan A. Lassa
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Urban Climate ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Adaptation Policy ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of exogenous drivers that seeks to foster endogenous resilience and climate adaptation policy and practice in developing countries. It particularly examines the role of Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network as an exogenous driver that sought to sustain urban climate adaptation and resilience agenda in a secondary city in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach The research combines fieldworks and desktop research. Primary data collection includes participant observation, unstructured interviews with city stakeholders and project managers, semi-structured interviews with local communities and literature reviews. This research also used an ethnographic field research approach. Findings Exogenous drivers have temporarily fostered climate change adaptation at city level, but the question remains is how can international actors effectively create a meaningful transformation toward urban resilience in developing countries like Indonesia. Exogenous drivers can play significant roles as a catalyst for urban adaptation planning, including undertaking vulnerability assessment and city resilience strategy and implementing adaptation actions, and facilitates risk management. Further processes for mainstreaming climate adaptation and disaster reduction depend on how receptive and responsive local actors to co-facilitate and co-lead urban resilience buildings and development. Originality/value There is still lack of documented knowledge on local institutional change and policy making processes. This research shows challenges and opportunities in institutionalising urban climate adaptation and risk management agenda. It further shows that genesis of endogenous adaptation cannot be separated from the exogenous climate adaptation processes as well as internal dynamic of urban governance in developing world.

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