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An Overview of Adaptation Strategies for
Climate Change Existing in the
Baltic Sea Region
Elena Talockaite
Lydos 4
LT-44213 Kaunas Lithuania
Telephone +370 37 423053
Telefax +370 37 422797
Email Elena@ecat.lt
URL www.ecat.lt
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by the European Union
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Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3
Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 3
Overview of existing adaptation strategies ........................................................................ 4
3.1. Framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies ...................................................... 4
3.1.1.
Integrated climate strategies ............................................................................... 4
3.1.2.
Strategies of emission reduction ........................................................................ 5
3.1.3.
Other framework documents .............................................................................. 5
3.2. Sector based documents ............................................................................................. 6
3.2.1.
Building .............................................................................................................. 6
3.2.2.
Energy ................................................................................................................ 6
3.2.3.
Transport ............................................................................................................ 6
3.2.4.
Industry............................................................................................................... 7
3.2.5.
Health ................................................................................................................. 7
3.2.6.
Water .................................................................................................................. 7
3.2.7.
Forestry............................................................................................................... 7
3.2.8.
Agriculture ......................................................................................................... 8
3.2.9.
Other documents ................................................................................................ 8
3.3. Communication strategies .......................................................................................... 8
4. Strategies elaboration, adaptation and implementation ...................................................... 9
5. General conclusions ........................................................................................................... 9
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1.
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Introduction
This report is produced in the frame of project „Developing Policies and Adaptation
Strategies to Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region“ (ASTRA) which is partfinanced by the European Union within the BSR Interreg IIIB Neighborhood Program.
The project duration is from June 2005 till December 2007.
The main objective of ASTRA project is to assess regional impacts of the ongoing
global change in climate and to develop strategies and policies for climate change
adaptation. More information about the project is available at project web-site
(www.astra-project.org).
The main goal of this document is to gather information about adaptation strategies
existing in the Baltic Sea Region, to identify gaps and form a basis for the
development of policy recommendations.
2.
Methodology
In order to gather information about adaptation strategies existing in the Baltic Sea
Region two questionnaires have been developed and sent to project partners. First
questionnaire aimed at gathering country level information, while second
questionnaire gave a possibility to get the local or regional insight.
Both questionnaires consisted of 3 sets of questions. In the first part project partners
had to provide data on existing framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies (for
example, existence of the integrated climate strategy, strategy on emission reduction,
etc.). In the second part sector based approach was used. Main attention was paid
on building, energy, transport, industry, health, water, forestry sectors and
agriculture. Third part of the questionnaire aimed at the overview of communication
strategies on climate change adaptation strategies in order to raise the awareness of
various stakeholders groups.
Country level information was gathered from Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. Case study level information was gathered from
Estonia, Germany, Finland, Lithuania and Poland (see Figure 1).
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Fig. 1. A map of the Baltic Sea Region indicating analyzed countries and case study
areas
3.
Overview of existing adaptation strategies
3.1.
Framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies
3.1.1.
Integrated climate strategies
Five out of seven countries analyzed in this report have declared the existence of
integrated climate strategy in their country. In most cases these strategies are
connected with the implementation of Kyoto Protocol. For example,
-
National Climate Strategy (Finland, 2001, 2003, 2005);
National Climate Protection Programme (Germany, 2005);
Climate Change Mitigation Programme 2005-2010 (Latvia, 2005);
National Strategy for Implementation of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (Lithuania, 1996);
The Climatic policy of Poland – Greenhouse Gases Reduction Strategy by
2020 (Poland, 2003).
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3.1.2.
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Strategies of emission reduction
The variety of documents on emission reduction is bigger. In Estonia, for example,
reduction of emissions is foreseen in the State Programme on the Reduction of
Greenhouse Emissions 2003-2012, as well as State Distribution Plans of
Greenhouse gas Certified Emission Loads 2005-2007.
Finnish National Climate Strategy contains a programme of measures designed to
meet Finland’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. Finland is obliged to bring its
average annual greenhouse gas emissions down to their 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
In Germany reduction of emissions is foreseen in CO2 Building Restoration
Programme, Housing Space Modernisation, Ecological Construction, Greenhouse
Gas Emission Trading Act, Renewable Energies Act, Biomass Regulation.
Climate Change Mitigation Programme 2005-2010, Joint Implementation Strategy
2003-2012, as well as Concept on Participation in International Commission Trading
are named among priority documents of Latvia where reduction of emissions aspect
is emphasized.
In Lithuania main emphasis on emission reduction is put in the Allocation and
Trading Scheme of Greenhouse Gas Emission Allowances and The Strategic
Branches of the Join Implementation Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change.
According to the Climatic Policy of Poland – Greenhouse Gases Reduction Strategy
by 2020 Polish emissions of greenhouse gases have to be reduced by 40% in the
year 2020 (in the year 2003 the reduction was 32%).
3.1.3.
Other framework documents
Among other framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies ASTRA project
partners named following documents:
-
National Strategies on Sustainable Development (Estonia, Germany,
Lithuania, Poland);
National Environmental Policy / Strategy / Action Plan (Estonia, Lithuania,
Poland);
Long-term Economic Development Strategy or National Development Plan
(Lithuania, Poland).
Project partners also named specific documents, such as National Waste
Management Plan (Lithuania, Poland), National Waste Disposal Programme
(Estonia), National Strategy of Coastal Area Protection, Programme of Coastline
Protection, Strategy on Production and Consumption Patterns Changing according to
the Principles of Sustainable Development (Poland).
Only Finland declares the existence of the National Strategy for Adaptation to
Climate Change, which preparation started in 2003. This strategy describes the
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impacts of climate change in agriculture and food production, forestry, fisheries,
reindeer husbandry, game management, water resources, biodiversity, industry,
energy, traffic, land use and communities, building, health, tourism and recreation, as
well as infrastructure.
Following parts of the report will make an overview of sector based documents in
other countries, mainly focusing on building, energy, transport, industry, health,
water, forestry sectors and agriculture.
3.2.
Sector based documents
3.2.1.
Building
National Development Programme till 2010 adopted in the year 2000, as well as
Action Plan in the Field of Architecture 2004-2008 adopted in the year 2004 in
Estonia can be considered as an example of sector document in the field of building.
3.2.2.
Energy
More documents exist in the Baltic Sea Region in energy sector. All these documents
can be divided into three main categories:
1. Energy sector development plans and national energy strategies:
e.g., Long-term (until 2015) Public Fuel and Energy Sector Development Plan,
Electricity Sector Development Plan 2005-2015 (Estonia), Energy Policy in the
Electricity Sector (Latvia), National Energy Strategy (Lithuania), Electricity
Programme, Energy Policy until 2025 (Poland).
2. Strategies on renewable energy:
e.g., Renewable Energy Act and Biomass Regulation (Germany), Proposal on
Strategy on Renewable Energy Resources, Programme on Production and
Use of Biofuel 2003-2010 (Latvia), Strategy on renewable energy
development, Programme of Wind Energy Development (Poland).
3. Documents on energy efficiency:
e.g., National Energy Efficiency Strategy (Latvia),
Consumption Efficiency Increase Programme (Lithuania).
3.2.3.
National
Energy
Transport
Project partners declared following documents in transport sector: Transportation
Development Plans 206-2013 (Estonia), Federal Transport Network Plan (Germany),
Guidelines for Public Transportation Development in 2005-2014 (Latvia), Long-term
(until 2025) Strategy of Transport System Development (Lithuania), Transport Policy
2006-2025 and Sectoral Operational Programme – Transport 2004-2006 (Poland).
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3.2.4.
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Industry
Industry sector related documents declared by project partners are quite different.
For example, Industrial Development Guidelines 2004-2013 adopted in the year 2004
exist in Latvia. Poland declares the existence of National Environmental Monitoring
Plan for 2006. While in Germany Federal Immission Protection Law updated in 2006
is named among main industry sector related documents.
3.2.5.
Health
There are not so many health sector related documents declared by project partners.
Lithuanian National Environmental Health Action Programme 2003-2006 adopted in
2003 and Polish Act of Natural Disaster State adopted in 2002 were named among
health sector related documents.
3.2.6.
Water
There is also a variety of water sector related documents starting with more general
strategic documents, such as Water Management Strategy, which is currently under
revision in Poland and ending with strategies related to different water categories or
specific actions. For example, Action Plan for Better Management of Marine
Environmental Protection 2005-2007 adopted in Estonia in the year 2005,
Goundwater Use and Protection Strategy 2002-2010 (Lithuania, 2002), Program for
Oder River 2006-2016 (Poland, 2001).
There is also National Plan of Flood Protection currently under development in
Poland. However, this document still doesn’t consider the climate change issue. This
situation will change when Flood Directive will come into force, then National Plan of
Flood Protection will be obliged to take effects of climate change into consideration in
the long-term perspective.
In Germany responsibility of water sector management belongs to the level of
Federal States, therefore German partners did not declare the existence of water
sector related documents on national level.
3.2.7.
Forestry
Forestry sector related documents could be divided into two main categories –
general forestry plans, policies or programmes and documents aiming at the increase
of forest cover. Among the documents under first categories project partners named,
e.g., Forestry Sector Development Plan until 2010 (Estonia, 2002), National Forest
Policy (Latvia, 1998; Poland, 1997), National Programme on Forest (Poland, 2005).
While Forest Increase Programme 2003-2020 (Lithuania, 2003) and National
Programme for the Augmentation of Forest Cover until 2020 (Poland, 2003) belong to
the second category.
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3.2.8.
Agriculture
There are also two categories of agriculture related documents in the Baltic Sea
Region. National Rural development Plan (Estonia, 2001), Sectoral Operational
Programme – Restructuring and Modernisation of the Food sector and Rural
Development (Poland, 2004), Plan of Rural Areas Development 2004-2006 (Poland,
2004) and Strategy of Development of Rural Areas and Agriculture for the years
2007-2013 with prognosis for 2020 (Poland, 2005) cover general strategic agriculture
related documents.
Second group of agriculture sector related documents aims at the implementation of
principles of environmentally friendly agriculture, as well as production and use of
alternative fuels. Among this type of documents project partners named Programme
for Biological Agricultural Development for 2003-2006 (Latvia, 2004), Good
Agricultural Practice protocol (Poland, 2002) and Programme on Promotion of
production and Use of Biofuel for 2004-2010 (Lithuania, 2004).
3.2.9.
Other documents
Among other documents project partners declared National Programme on
Biodiversity (Latvia, 2000), National Strategy on Ecological Education (Poland, 2000)
and National Programme on Ecological Education (Poland, 2003).
Three related research programmes were or are still under implementation in
Lithuania:
- Integrated influence of anthropogenic and environment changes on
vegetation of forests and agrosystems (2003-2006);
- Regularities and mechanisms of sensitivity, vulnerability, adaptations and
microevolution of ecosystems and their components under conditions of
global change and anthropogenic impact (2003-2006);
- The influence of climate variation on recent physical geographical
processes in Lithuania (1998-2000).
3.3.
Communication strategies
Existence of communication strategies on climate change adaptation strategies in
order to raise the awareness of different stakeholders groups was declared by
Germany, Latvia and Poland.
Several institutes and authorities communicate climate change in Germany, e.g.
Federal Environmental Agency, Council for Sustainable Development. In 2002-2004
German Energy Agency carried out campaign “Action Climate Protection”.
In Latvia thematic seminars and meetings are organized by Climate and Renewable
Energy Department under the Ministry of Environment.
One of the most important documents on climate change communication in Poland is
National Strategy on Ecological Education. The necessity to improve information and
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education system in the range of climate protection is also mentioned as one of the
objectives of Ecological Policy and Climatic Policy of Poland.
4.
Strategies elaboration, adaptation and implementation
Most of the framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies are elaborated by
national Ministries of Environment. However, in certain cases other institutions also
participate in the elaboration process, e.g., Ministry of Economy (Lithuania and
Poland), Maritime Institute in cooperation with Maritime Office (Poland).
National Ministries of Economy, Culture, Communications, Agriculture, Transport,
Finance, Regional Development and Local Governments, Foreign Affairs, Health, as
well as different science and research institutions participate in the development and
later in the implementation of the listed strategic documents.
Overview of the adaptation strategies for climate change existing in the Baltic Sea
Region showed that biggest part of the assessed documents were initiated and
elaborated using top-down approach. Public consultations and participation was
organized only in the cases when it was legally required.
5.
General conclusions
Assessment carried out in this report gave a possibility to gather information about
adaptation strategies for climate change existing in the Baltic Sea Region. Only
Finland declares the existence of the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate
Change, which preparation started in 2003. This strategy describes the impacts of
climate change in agriculture and food production, forestry, fisheries, reindeer
husbandry, game management, water resources, biodiversity, industry, energy,
traffic, land use and communities, building, health, tourism and recreation, as well as
infrastructure.
Other countries have framework policies and cross-sectoral strategies, as well as
sector-based documents. However, the level of integration of climate change issue in
these documents is very limited and in some cases unclear. Therefore there is a
need for a deeper content analysis of these documents in order to make more
concrete conclusions about existing gaps.
Biggest part of the assessed documents was initiated and elaborated using top-down
approach. Public consultations and participation was organized only in the cases
when it was legally required. Information of different stakeholders groups and their
involvement in the development and implementation process has to become an
essential element of the adaptation strategy to climate change.
Assessment of the documents also showed that there is a number of different
institutions and organizations participating in the development and implementation of
the strategic documents in analysed countries. Therefore, it is essential to ensure
coordination and cooperation between involved institutions.
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