ESPACE: European Spatial Planning
Adapting to Climate Events –
Developing a Knowledge and
Information Base
Draft Final Report
Prepared for
Hampshire County Council
by
Land Use Consultants
in association with
Royal Haskoning
and
Institut für Stadtplanung und
Staedtebau, University DuisburgEssen
June 2004
43 Chalton Street
London NW1 1JD
Tel: 020 7383 5784
Fax: 020 7383 4798
luc@london.landuse.co.uk
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
1.
The ESPACE project aims to ensure that adaptation to climate change is recognised and to
recommend that it is incorporated within spatial planning mechanisms at the local, regional,
national and European levels. This first stage of work is to set out a broad ‘information and
knowledge base’ to underpin the project.
2.
The four countries represented in the ESPACE project are Belgium, Germany, the
Netherlands and the UK.
3.
The research has been undertaken by Land Use Consultants, in association with Royal
Haskoning and Institut für Stadtplanung und Staedtebau, University Duisburg-Essen.
AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
1. To identify climate change terminology used in partner countries and provide common
definitions and clarification (i.e. glossary) to be used by all partners. The definitions will be in
English and will refer to the relevant words in Dutch and German.
2. To identify and compare the different approaches to developing climate change scenarios in
partner countries.
3. To review and provide a summary of the climate change impacts that have been identified for
each major sector (environment, economic and social) by each partner country.
4. To review and provide an analysis of the differences in quality and quantity of available
information on mitigation and adaptation to climate change in partner countries.
5. To identify existing spatial planning networks which influence spatial planning with regard to
climate change in each partner country.
6. To provide an analysis of how these existing spatial planning regimes/ networks operate in each
partner country and recommendations on how best to influence them.
OVERVIEW OF APPROACHES BY PARTNER COUNTRIES
Belgium
4.
Belgium is not particularly well advanced in its approach to addressing climate change.
Scenario development and modelling to understand how climate is likely to change is at an
early stage. However, work is underway to develop a regional climate model.
5.
Climate change mitigation policy is developing, but Belgium is not on course to meet its
share of EU emissions targets, which suggests that mitigation policy needs to be
strengthened.
6.
Similarly, the approach taken to identifying impacts and adaptation responses is not as
advanced as in the other three countries represented in the ESPACE project. However,
spatial planning is contributing to adaptation with respect to biodiversity. Belgium also has
some strong policies in place to respond to flood risk, but as yet these do not take into
account increased risks posed by climate change. Overall climate change research is under
funded which appears to reflect that climate change is currently not high on the political
agenda.
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Germany
7.
Germany is well advanced in addressing climate change, with a centrally organised
programme to coordinate modelling and mitigation work and a number of world renowned
research institutions. A good understanding has been developed of how its climate is likely
to change. It is at the forefront of mitigation activity, with some measures in place which
have received international attention. Germany consequently is on course to meet its share
of EU emissions targets.
8.
Mitigation policy is perhaps more advanced than adaptation policy, but this balance is being
addressed. Impacts research and adaptation policy is moving forward at the Federal State
level. However, there is a recognised need to improve coordination at the Federal level.
9.
German institutions’ understanding of climate change is feeding into a range of integrated
‘action-oriented’ studies across the Federal States, to identify impacts and develop adaptation
responses, particularly in relation to fluvial flood risk and sea level rise. Spatial planning
currently focuses on adaptation in these areas.
10.
Work is underway to join-up the various impact identification and adaptation initiatives
underway across the Federal States, and to broaden the impact and adaptation research
agenda in Germany (e.g. through the establishment of a German Climate Research
Programme). A broader research base is essential to widen Germany’s adaptation responses
to climate change.
The Netherlands
11.
The Netherlands is making good progress in responding to climate change. Most activity is
coordinated at the national level across a number of ministries, led by the Netherlands
Ministry of Spatial Planning, Housing and the Environment.
12.
Modelling to understand how climate will change is well advanced, although until recently
links have been weak between scientists and decision-makers. This is changing as the two
groups work closer together to understand how science can best be used to inform decision
making.
13.
In terms of mitigation policy, the Netherlands Government is demonstrating a commitment
to meeting emissions targets and has developed a wide ranging package of measures.
However, figures show the country is currently set to overshoot its share of EU emissions,
which means it may need to implement the ‘reserve’ and/or ‘innovation’ measures that have
been prepared in order to keep it on course.
14.
Much research on climate change impacts and adaptation measures focuses on flood risk and
sea level rise, and also the impacts of dry periods on dykes. This research is very much
feeding into adaptation responses. Spatial planning in the Netherlands is important for
implementing adaptation responses e.g. through allocating space in land use plans for natural
flooding of water courses. It is also addressing implications for biodiversity. Nevertheless,
research into other impacts and responses has and continues to take place. Research is
currently underway which will inform spatial planning with regard to a wide range of climate
change impacts than is currently the case.
UK
15.
The UK has developed a clear and well focussed response to climate change. The response
is coordinated by central Government, and guidance and information on climate change
scenarios and impact identification and adaptation is made available by a central organisation
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set up by Government. This system ensures that information is available to a wide range of
decision makers.
16.
Scenario work to understand how climate in the UK will change is well developed, and
information is made available to decision makers through an easy to use website and range
of guidance materials. Researchers in the UK are also developing tools to understand very
localised climate changes.
17.
The UK is on course to meet its share of EU emissions targets, which suggests that the UK’s
package of mitigation measures is proving effective. The UK has introduced some far
reaching measures ahead of EU requirements to do so (e.g. an emissions trading scheme).
18.
Impact and adaptation research in the UK is taking place through regional Climate Change
Partnerships and covers a broad spectrum of issues. A wide range of sectoral research at
the national level has also been undertaken. Research is increasingly addressing the
implications of climate change for spatial planning.
19.
Much research into adaptation is feeding into policy. There is a clear recognition that spatial
planning is a vital tool for delivering climate change adaptation. Planning policy sets out a
number of requirements for spatial plans to address climate change, although, with the
exception of flood risk, these requirements are very general. It is therefore not always clear
what the specific response should be. Several actions are underway to improve delivery of
adaptation through spatial planning to improve this situation. Regional scoping studies are
also informing action by a range of players at the regional level.
SUMMARY COMPARISON OF APPROACHES
20.
Overall Germany, the Netherlands and the UK have demonstrably more advanced
approaches to addressing climate change than Belgium. This reflects Government
commitment and provision of sufficient funding for research.
21.
Germany, the Netherlands and the UK all have a good understanding of how climate will
change. In Belgium a regional model is being developed, but data is currently only available at
a course resolution. The means by which information is used to inform decision making
varies. In Germany little information is widely available, but it is fed into strong ‘actionorientated’ research, which will ultimately inform decision making. In the UK data is widely
available and tools are provided to inform use by decision makers. However, there is a need
to ensure that use is actually made of the data to inform actions. In the Netherlands links
between scientists and decision makers are currently being developed.
22.
In all countries mitigation policy is generally more advanced than adaptation policy, primarily
because global and EU targets are in place which must be met. Therefore the ESPACE
partner counties are implementing legislative and fiscal measures, as well as ‘voluntary’
measures to achieve mitigation. In contrast the approach to adaptation rests more heavily
on guidance and encouragement to act on the part of a range of players, including public
authorities, businesses and the general public.
23.
The UK perhaps takes the broadest approach to identifying impacts and developing
adaptation responses, addressing a wide range of sectors and impacts. The approach in
Germany and the Netherlands is far more focussed on responding to flood risk and coastal
sea level rise.
24.
However, efforts are underway in both Germany and the Netherlands to widen the research
base. The Netherlands and the UK are arguably the most forward looking countries in
terms of developing the role of spatial planning in delivering adaptation.
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25.
Overall the ESPACE partner countries can learn from each others approaches. For example,
the UK can learn from the innovative policies in place in the other partner countries for
addressing flood risk. A series of recommendations for how ESPACE can improve the way
spatial planning addresses climate change adaptation have been developed. These seek to
address the strengths and weaknesses identified in each country’s approach and ensure best
practice is disseminated across the four countries.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE HOW SPATIAL
PLANNING ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION1
Belgium

Priority BEL 1: Establish dialogue on climate change adaptation and spatial planning at
the national and regional level

Priority BEL 2: Develop and disseminate the information base to inform understanding
of likely impacts of climate change relevant to spatial planning and potential adaptation
responses

Priority BEL 3: Work with the Regional Administrations for Spatial Planning and
Housing to guide considerations of climate change in regional and lower level plans.
Germany

Priority GER 1: Establish dialogue on climate change adaptation and spatial planning at
the Federal (national) level

Priority GER 2: Develop and disseminate the information base to inform
understanding of likely impacts of climate change relevant to spatial planning and
potential adaptation responses

Priority GER 3: Establish closer coordination between water management and spatial
planning

Priority GER 4: Promote sustainable water resource and flood risk management
across all Federal States

Priority GER 5: Develop guidance for adapting to climate change at the Federal State
level.
Netherlands

Priority NETH 1: Strengthen the requirement set out at the national level for lower
level spatial plans to integrate climate change considerations

Priority NETH 2: Seek to influence the agenda for implementation of the National
Spatial Plan in terms of priority actions

Priority NETH 3: Ensure local level planning fully takes on board the need to deliver
climate change adaptation measures
1
N.b. full details of each priority are contained in the main report, setting out a justification for the priority
and the means to achieve the priority.
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
Priority NETH 4: Influence research priorities/follow up findings of research to ensure
that relevant information is provided to identify potential adaptation responses and that
recommendations are built into spatial planning

Priority NETH 5: Improve integration of the policies of key Ministries in relation to
climate change adaptation.
England

Priority ENG 1: Promote a more integrated approach to urban design that
incorporates climate change adaptation

Priority ENG 2: Promote a better consideration of planning for water resource
management and water supply infrastructure

Priority ENG 3: Promote more innovative approaches to flood risk management e.g.
through natural storage of flood waters

Priority ENG 4: Encourage closer coordination between the work of ODPM and
Defra towards climate change adaptation

Priority ENG 5: Develop guidance for adapting to climate change in regional planning

Priority ENG 6: Monitor current and emerging initiatives and research on climate
change adaptation and seek to engage with these activities.
Overarching priorities

Priority OP 1: Build mechanisms for addressing risk uncertainty in decisions making
into guidance and other material produced through the ESPACE project

Priority OP 2: Undertake further detailed research to compare approaches to planning
for flood risk in the four countries in order to identify and disseminate best practice
examples.

Priority OP 3: Promote climate change adaptation as part of a more holistic approach
to spatial planning and urban design

Priority OP 4: Engage with key ministries involved in spatial planning to discuss the
format of guidance material they would like to see produced by the ESPACE project i.e.
country specific or generic guidance and topic coverage

Priority OP 5: Work with Government ministries to ensure that Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) required by Directive 2001/42/EC is implemented in
such a way that it helps to deliver climate change adaptation

Priority OP 6: Promote building standards that reinforce spatial planning objectives.
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CONTENTS
Executive summary ...................................................................................i
1. Introduction.............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2. Comparison of approaches to developing climate change scenarios Error!
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3. Comparison of approaches to climate change mitigationError! Bookmark not
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4. Identification of climate change impacts Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Comparison of approaches to climate change adaptationError! Bookmark not
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6. Overview of spatial planning systems .... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7. Current contributions of spatial planning to climate change adaptation
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8. Current actions to improve spatial planning & climate change adaptation
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9. Recommended priorities for influencing the delivery of adaptation measures
through spatial planning .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
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