Developing Adaptation Policy and Practice in Europe: Multi-level Governance of Climate Change

Acknowledgements

Contents

Contributors

Abbreviations

1 Introduction Adaptation to Climate Change in Europe: Theoretical Framework and Study Design

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Theoretical Background

1.2.1 Multi-Level Governance and the Capacity to Act on Adaptation

1.2.2 Adaptive Capacity

1.2.3 Governance and Adaptive Capacity on Different Levels

1.2.3.1 The Role of the National Level

1.2.3.2 Regional Level

1.2.3.3 Local Level

1.2.3.4 The Role of the EU

1.2.3.5 The Role of Non-governmental Actors

1.2.4 Attempts to Bridge Sectors and Levels: Connecting Governance and Adaptive Capacity

1.2.4.1 Who Is to Adapt?

1.2.4.2 What Are Actors Adapting to, and by What Means?

1.2.4.3 The Potential for Policy Transfer of Adaptation Options

1.3 Method

1.3.1 National Case Study Selection

1.3.2 Nested Regional and Local Studies in the Four Main Cases

1.3.3 Research Material

1.4 Outline of the Volume

References

2 Addressing Adaptation in the EU Policy Framework

2.1 Introduction

2.2 From the ECCP to the Green and White Papers on Adaptation

2.2.1 EU-Funded Research and Resources

2.2.2 The ECCP and the Development of National Adaptation Strategies

2.2.3 Potential Consequences of the National Level Approach

2.2.4 Sectoral Policies and Early Warning Systems in the EU

2.3 From Policy Linkage to Ecosystem Preservation

2.3.1 Water and Policy Linkage

2.3.2 The Water Management Policy Framework

2.3.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Preservation

2.3.4 Permanence vs. Flexibility

2.3.5 The Biodiversity Policy Framework

2.4 From the Water Towers of Europe to Ecosystem Preservation

2.5 On the Governance of Adaptation: Goal Conflict And Institutional Confusion

2.6 Conclusions

References

3 Climate Change Adaptation in the United Kingdom: England and South-East England

3.1 Introduction

3.2 National Level

3.2.1 Environmental Policy in the UK and the Establishment of Adaptation as a Priority

3.2.2 National Legislative, Policy and Planning Frameworks on Adaptation

3.2.2.1 The Climate Change Act

3.2.2.2 Local Performance Assessment

Box 3.1 The progress levels in the NI 188 indicator with technical definitions of each level

3.2.2.3 Adaptation and the Planning System

3.2.3 Creating Multi-Level Linkages: The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP)

3.3 Regional Level

3.3.1 Regional Climate Change Partnerships: Climate South East

3.3.2 Regional Planning and Administration

3.4 Local Level

3.4.1 Adaptation and the Structure of Local Government

3.4.2 Actions at Selected Local Authorities in the South East

3.4.2.1 Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council

3.4.2.2 Portsmouth City Council

3.4.2.3 Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council

3.5 The Role of the EU

3.6 The Participation of Voluntary and NGO Networks

3.7 Adaptation as an Issue: Shifts in Thinking, Policy Transfer and Integration Across Levels

3.7.1 Policy Transfer Between Contexts?

3.7.1.1 The Domestic Context

3.7.1.2 The International Context

3.7.2 Adaptation as a Shift in Thinking

3.8 Conclusion

References

4 Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation: The Case of Multi-Level Governance in Finland

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Background

4.2.1 Environmental Policy in Finland

4.3 National Climate Policy

4.3.1 National Climate and Energy Strategy 2001

4.3.2 Revised National Climate and Energy Strategy 2005

Box 4.1 Measures for implementation at the Municipal level (adapted from Valtioneuvosto, 2005 )

4.3.3 Revised National Climate and Energy Strategy 2008

4.4 National Adaptation Policy

4.4.1 Preparation of the National Strategy

4.4.2 Key Projected Impacts of Climate Change

4.4.3 The National Adaptation Strategy

Box 4.2 Sectors considered in the National Adaptation Strategy (adapted from Marttila et al., 2005 )

4.4.4 Implementation of the NAS

Box 4.3 Adaptation measures in the environment administration (Ympäristöministeriön työryhmä 2008)

4.4.5 Evaluating the Implementation of the NAS

Box 4.4 Indicator of progress on adaptation (adapted from Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2009 )

4.4.6 Role of Research in Climate Change Adaptation

4.5 The Role of the European Union in Climate Policy

4.6 Other Actors in Climate Change Adaptation

4.7 Sub-national Level Adaptation Work

4.7.1 Uusimaa Regional Council Climate Strategy

4.7.2 Climate Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council 2030

4.7.3 Climate Strategy for the KUUMA-partnership

4.7.4 Espoo Preparedness Strategy

4.7.5 Integration of Adaptation into Policy-Making

4.8 Challenges and Opportunities of Multi-Scale Adaptation

4.9 Conclusions

References

5 Adapting to Climate Change in Sweden: National Policy Development and Adaptation Measures in Vstra Gtaland

5.1 Introduction

5.2 National Level

5.2.1 Swedish Work on Climate Change of Particular Relevance for Adaptation

5.2.2 The Commission on Climate and Vulnerability

5.2.3 National Legislation, Regulation and Measures Taken on Adaptation

5.2.3.1 Implementation of the Commission on Climate and Vulnerability: The 2009 Bill, Regulation Letter Appointments and Budget Allowances

5.2.3.2 Independent Initiatives at the National Level

5.3 Regional Level

5.3.1 Impacts and Authority at the Regional Level

5.3.1.1 General Responsibilities of the County Administrative Board

5.3.1.2 Coordination of Water Issues

5.4 Local Level

5.4.1 Municipal Climate Change Networks and Responsibilities

5.4.2 Municipal Case Studies

5.4.2.1 The Development of Adaptation Measures in Gothenburg

5.4.2.2 The Development of Adaptation Measures in Mälndal, Trollhättan and Munkedal

5.5 Actors Beyond Government and Administration

5.5.1 The Role of the Private Sector

5.5.2 Impacts of the EU Level

5.6 The Distribution of Responsibility for Adaptation to Climate Change

5.6.1 Responsibility for Adaptation Across Governmental Levels

5.6.2 Policy Transfer and 'Lesson-Drawing'

5.7 Conclusion

References

6 'Planning for Today': The Nature and Emergence of Adaptation Measures in Italy

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Italian Environmental Policy: Evolution and Current Issues

6.3 Entry into the Climate Change Arena: Mitigation Policies and Programmes

6.4 Adaptation and the Italian State

6.4.1 From Impacts to Adaptation: 1995--2007

6.4.2 The National Climate Change Conference: 2007

Box 6.1 Priority areas for adaptation intervention identified by the NCCC (2007)

6.4.3 National Adaptation to Climate Change: The Present

6.5 Adaptation at Sub-national Scales

Box 6.2 Examples of planned climate change adaptation activities in Italy

6.5.1 Adaptation in the Region of Emilia-Romagna

6.5.2 Adaptation Actions in the Province of Ferrara

6.5.3 Adaptation at the Municipal Level: the Municipality of Ferrara

6.6 Conclusion: Multi-Level Governance in Italian Adaptation

References

7 Planned Adaptation Measures in Industrialised Countries: A Comparison of Select Countries Within and Outside the EU

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Approach and Methods

7.3 Background: Adaptation Actions Across Europe

7.4 Adaptation Across Scales: Examples from the European Context

7.4.1 Austria

7.4.1.1 The Development of a National Adaptation Strategy

7.4.1.2 Regional and Local Actions in Adaptation

7.4.2 France

7.4.2.1 Climate Research and Policy Development

7.5 Box 7.1The nine axes of the French National Adaptation strategy

7.4.2.2 Engagement at Regional and Local Scales

7.4.3 Germany

7.4.3.1 German Adaptation Policy: The 2008 National Adaptation Strategy

7.4.3.2 Independent Länder Policy Development

7.4.3.3 The Role of Local Authorities

7.4.4 Greece

7.4.4.1 Sectoral Policies and EU Incentives in Greek Adaptation

7.4.4.2 Limited Regional and Local Action

7.4.5 Hungary

7.4.5.1 The Hungarian National Adaptation Strategy

7.4.5.2 The Regional and Local Level

7.4.6 Netherlands

7.4.6.1 Climate-Proofing Spatial Planning in the Netherlands

7.4.6.2 Regional and Local Actions and Responsibilities

Box 7.2 Sub-national responsibilities under the Dutch National Adaptation Strategy (VROM, 2008)

7.4.7 Norway

7.4.7.1 Development of National Adaptation Initiatives

7.4.7.2 The Allocation of Adaptation Responsibilities

7.4.7.3 Local Engagement with Adaptation

7.4.8 Spain

7.4.8.1 The National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP)

7.4.8.2 Regional and Local Adaptation Actions

7.5 Beyond Europe: Adaptation Actions in Canada and Australia

7.5.1 Australia

7.5.1.1 National Sectoral Research and the Development of Adaptation Plans

7.5.1.2 Australian State Engagement with Adaptation

7.5.1.3 Support for Adaptation at the Local Level

7.5.2 Canada

7.5.2.1 National Research and (in)Action

7.5.2.2 Provincial Governments

7.5.2.3 Municipal Governments

7.6 Discussion: The Emergence of Adaptation

7.6.1 Diverging Steering Abilities in Federal and Unitary States

7.6.2 Multi-Level Governance: Decentralisation and the Participation of Sub-national Authorities

7.6.3 The Relevance of National Environmental Policy Implementation

7.6.4 Stakeholder Participation and the Role of NGOs and the EU

7.7 Conclusions

References

8 Conclusion: The Development of Adaptive Capacity and Adaptation Measures in European Countries

8.1 Introduction

8.2 National Level and General Political System Features

8.2.1 Structure of the Political and Planning System

8.2.2 The Role of Environmental Policy Institutionalisation

8.2.3 The Role of Focusing Events and Other Contextual Features

8.3 Regional Level

8.4 Local Level

8.5 The Role of the EU

8.6 Actors Beyond Government and Administration

8.7 Types of Adaptation

8.8 Lessons for Current and Future Adaptation

8.9 Conclusion: Does Adaptation Require a Change in Thinking?

References

Index