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

Acknowledgements 4
Contents 6
Contributors 11
Abbreviations 12
1 Introduction Adaptation to Climate Change in Europe: Theoretical Framework and Study Design 19
1.1 Introduction 19
1.2 Theoretical Background 22
1.2.1 Multi-Level Governance and the Capacity to Act on Adaptation 22
1.2.2 Adaptive Capacity 25
1.2.3 Governance and Adaptive Capacity on Different Levels 29
1.2.3.1 The Role of the National Level 29
1.2.3.2 Regional Level 33
1.2.3.3 Local Level 35
1.2.3.4 The Role of the EU 37
1.2.3.5 The Role of Non-governmental Actors 39
1.2.4 Attempts to Bridge Sectors and Levels: Connecting Governance and Adaptive Capacity 40
1.2.4.1 Who Is to Adapt? 41
1.2.4.2 What Are Actors Adapting to, and by What Means? 42
1.2.4.3 The Potential for Policy Transfer of Adaptation Options 44
1.3 Method 46
1.3.1 National Case Study Selection 46
1.3.2 Nested Regional and Local Studies in the Four Main Cases 48
1.3.3 Research Material 49
1.4 Outline of the Volume 50
References 52
2 Addressing Adaptation in the EU Policy Framework 57
2.1 Introduction 58
2.2 From the ECCP to the Green and White Papers on Adaptation 60
2.2.1 EU-Funded Research and Resources 63
2.2.2 The ECCP and the Development of National Adaptation Strategies 65
2.2.3 Potential Consequences of the National Level Approach 67
2.2.4 Sectoral Policies and Early Warning Systems in the EU 69
2.3 From Policy Linkage to Ecosystem Preservation 74
2.3.1 Water and Policy Linkage 74
2.3.2 The Water Management Policy Framework 82
2.3.3 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Preservation 91
2.3.4 Permanence vs. Flexibility 94
2.3.5 The Biodiversity Policy Framework 98
2.4 From the Water Towers of Europe to Ecosystem Preservation 100
2.5 On the Governance of Adaptation: Goal Conflict And Institutional Confusion 103
2.6 Conclusions 108
References 109
3 Climate Change Adaptation in the United Kingdom: England and South-East England 115
3.1 Introduction 115
3.2 National Level 117
3.2.1 Environmental Policy in the UK and the Establishment of Adaptation as a Priority 117
3.2.2 National Legislative, Policy and Planning Frameworks on Adaptation 121
3.2.2.1 The Climate Change Act 121
3.2.2.2 Local Performance Assessment 123
Box 3.1 The progress levels in the NI 188 indicator with technical definitions of each level 124
3.2.2.3 Adaptation and the Planning System 126
3.2.3 Creating Multi-Level Linkages: The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) 128
3.3 Regional Level 131
3.3.1 Regional Climate Change Partnerships: Climate South East 132
3.3.2 Regional Planning and Administration 134
3.4 Local Level 137
3.4.1 Adaptation and the Structure of Local Government 137
3.4.2 Actions at Selected Local Authorities in the South East 139
3.4.2.1 Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council 139
3.4.2.2 Portsmouth City Council 143
3.4.2.3 Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council 145
3.5 The Role of the EU 148
3.6 The Participation of Voluntary and NGO Networks 150
3.7 Adaptation as an Issue: Shifts in Thinking, Policy Transfer and Integration Across Levels 151
3.7.1 Policy Transfer Between Contexts? 151
3.7.1.1 The Domestic Context 152
3.7.1.2 The International Context 154
3.7.2 Adaptation as a Shift in Thinking 156
3.8 Conclusion 158
References 161
4 Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation: The Case of Multi-Level Governance in Finland 166
4.1 Introduction 166
4.2 Background 167
4.2.1 Environmental Policy in Finland 169
4.3 National Climate Policy 170
4.3.1 National Climate and Energy Strategy 2001 171
4.3.2 Revised National Climate and Energy Strategy 2005 172
Box 4.1 Measures for implementation at the Municipal level (adapted from Valtioneuvosto, 2005 ) 172
4.3.3 Revised National Climate and Energy Strategy 2008 173
4.4 National Adaptation Policy 174
4.4.1 Preparation of the National Strategy 174
4.4.2 Key Projected Impacts of Climate Change 175
4.4.3 The National Adaptation Strategy 176
Box 4.2 Sectors considered in the National Adaptation Strategy (adapted from Marttila et al., 2005 ) 176
4.4.4 Implementation of the NAS 177
Box 4.3 Adaptation measures in the environment administration (Ympäristöministeriön työryhmä 2008) 178
4.4.5 Evaluating the Implementation of the NAS 179
Box 4.4 Indicator of progress on adaptation (adapted from Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2009 ) 181
4.4.6 Role of Research in Climate Change Adaptation 183
4.5 The Role of the European Union in Climate Policy 185
4.6 Other Actors in Climate Change Adaptation 186
4.7 Sub-national Level Adaptation Work 187
4.7.1 Uusimaa Regional Council Climate Strategy 189
4.7.2 Climate Strategy for Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council 2030 191
4.7.3 Climate Strategy for the KUUMA-partnership 192
4.7.4 Espoo Preparedness Strategy 193
4.7.5 Integration of Adaptation into Policy-Making 195
4.8 Challenges and Opportunities of Multi-Scale Adaptation 196
4.9 Conclusions 200
References 200
5 Adapting to Climate Change in Sweden: National Policy Development and Adaptation Measures in Vstra Gtaland 205
5.1 Introduction 205
5.2 National Level 208
5.2.1 Swedish Work on Climate Change of Particular Relevance for Adaptation 208
5.2.2 The Commission on Climate and Vulnerability 211
5.2.3 National Legislation, Regulation and Measures Taken on Adaptation 214
5.2.3.1 Implementation of the Commission on Climate and Vulnerability: The 2009 Bill, Regulation Letter Appointments and Budget Allowances 214
5.2.3.2 Independent Initiatives at the National Level 220
5.3 Regional Level 221
5.3.1 Impacts and Authority at the Regional Level 221
5.3.1.1 General Responsibilities of the County Administrative Board 222
5.3.1.2 Coordination of Water Issues 223
5.4 Local Level 225
5.4.1 Municipal Climate Change Networks and Responsibilities 225
5.4.2 Municipal Case Studies 228
5.4.2.1 The Development of Adaptation Measures in Gothenburg 228
5.4.2.2 The Development of Adaptation Measures in Mälndal, Trollhättan and Munkedal 232
5.5 Actors Beyond Government and Administration 234
5.5.1 The Role of the Private Sector 234
5.5.2 Impacts of the EU Level 236
5.6 The Distribution of Responsibility for Adaptation to Climate Change 237
5.6.1 Responsibility for Adaptation Across Governmental Levels 237
5.6.2 Policy Transfer and 'Lesson-Drawing' 241
5.7 Conclusion 242
References 245
6 'Planning for Today': The Nature and Emergence of Adaptation Measures in Italy 249
6.1 Introduction 249
6.2 Italian Environmental Policy: Evolution and Current Issues 250
6.3 Entry into the Climate Change Arena: Mitigation Policies and Programmes 255
6.4 Adaptation and the Italian State 256
6.4.1 From Impacts to Adaptation: 1995--2007 257
6.4.2 The National Climate Change Conference: 2007 261
Box 6.1 Priority areas for adaptation intervention identified by the NCCC (2007) 262
6.4.3 National Adaptation to Climate Change: The Present 264
6.5 Adaptation at Sub-national Scales 266
Box 6.2 Examples of planned climate change adaptation activities in Italy 267
6.5.1 Adaptation in the Region of Emilia-Romagna 268
6.5.2 Adaptation Actions in the Province of Ferrara 274
6.5.3 Adaptation at the Municipal Level: the Municipality of Ferrara 278
6.6 Conclusion: Multi-Level Governance in Italian Adaptation 281
References 284
7 Planned Adaptation Measures in Industrialised Countries: A Comparison of Select Countries Within and Outside the EU 287
7.1 Introduction 287
7.2 Approach and Methods 288
7.3 Background: Adaptation Actions Across Europe 289
7.4 Adaptation Across Scales: Examples from the European Context 291
7.4.1 Austria 293
7.4.1.1 The Development of a National Adaptation Strategy 293
7.4.1.2 Regional and Local Actions in Adaptation 295
7.4.2 France 296
7.4.2.1 Climate Research and Policy Development 297
7.5 Box 7.1The nine axes of the French National Adaptation strategy 291
7.4.2.2 Engagement at Regional and Local Scales 300
7.4.3 Germany 301
7.4.3.1 German Adaptation Policy: The 2008 National Adaptation Strategy 302
7.4.3.2 Independent Länder Policy Development 303
7.4.3.3 The Role of Local Authorities 305
7.4.4 Greece 307
7.4.4.1 Sectoral Policies and EU Incentives in Greek Adaptation 307
7.4.4.2 Limited Regional and Local Action 309
7.4.5 Hungary 309
7.4.5.1 The Hungarian National Adaptation Strategy 310
7.4.5.2 The Regional and Local Level 312
7.4.6 Netherlands 313
7.4.6.1 Climate-Proofing Spatial Planning in the Netherlands 314
7.4.6.2 Regional and Local Actions and Responsibilities 316
Box 7.2 Sub-national responsibilities under the Dutch National Adaptation Strategy (VROM, 2008) 316
7.4.7 Norway 318
7.4.7.1 Development of National Adaptation Initiatives 319
7.4.7.2 The Allocation of Adaptation Responsibilities 321
7.4.7.3 Local Engagement with Adaptation 322
7.4.8 Spain 324
7.4.8.1 The National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (NCCAP) 324
7.4.8.2 Regional and Local Adaptation Actions 326
7.5 Beyond Europe: Adaptation Actions in Canada and Australia 328
7.5.1 Australia 328
7.5.1.1 National Sectoral Research and the Development of Adaptation Plans 329
7.5.1.2 Australian State Engagement with Adaptation 332
7.5.1.3 Support for Adaptation at the Local Level 333
7.5.2 Canada 334
7.5.2.1 National Research and (in)Action 335
7.5.2.2 Provincial Governments 336
7.5.2.3 Municipal Governments 337
7.6 Discussion: The Emergence of Adaptation 338
7.6.1 Diverging Steering Abilities in Federal and Unitary States 339
7.6.2 Multi-Level Governance: Decentralisation and the Participation of Sub-national Authorities 341
7.6.3 The Relevance of National Environmental Policy Implementation 343
7.6.4 Stakeholder Participation and the Role of NGOs and the EU 345
7.7 Conclusions 347
References 348
8 Conclusion: The Development of Adaptive Capacity and Adaptation Measures in European Countries 355
8.1 Introduction 355
8.2 National Level and General Political System Features 357
8.2.1 Structure of the Political and Planning System 357
8.2.2 The Role of Environmental Policy Institutionalisation 360
8.2.3 The Role of Focusing Events and Other Contextual Features 363
8.3 Regional Level 366
8.4 Local Level 368
8.5 The Role of the EU 370
8.6 Actors Beyond Government and Administration 372
8.7 Types of Adaptation 374
8.8 Lessons for Current and Future Adaptation 377
8.9 Conclusion: Does Adaptation Require a Change in Thinking? 379
References 381
Index 383