Capacity Building for the Integration of Climate Adaptation into Urban Planning Processes: The Dutch Experience

Thomas Hartmann^*, Tejo Spit

Urban and Regional Research Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.4236/ajcc.2014.33023                

Abstract

The institutions of the Dutch (urban) planning system face four challenging characteristics of climate adaptation measures. These measures are uncertain in their effects, in competition with other interests, multifaceted, and inherently complex. Capacity building is a key issue for the implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban planning processes, which aim to achieve Climate-Proof Cities (CPC). For successful capacity building, it is important to define the relevant stakeholders and tailor the adaptation strategies first to (the position of) these stakeholders and next to the specific urban conditions and issues. In addition, scientific insights and tools can be of assistance, and the use of climate maps can help to create a common language. Such common understanding of climate problems can lead to “goal entwinement” between actors, which can support the implementation of climate adaptation strategies in urban planning. Awareness, recognition and urgency are the most important components of this common understanding, which may differ for each stage in every urban planning process. In order to overcome the pragmatism that rules in day-to-day urban planning processes, multi-level arrangements between different tiers of government must be employed to improve the penetration of climate adaptation measures. After all, it still remains a soft interest in a hard process.

Keywords

Climate Adaptation, Urban Planning, Netherlands, Policy Integration, Climate-Proof Cities

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Kokx, A. and Spit, T. (2012) Increasing the Adaptive Capacity in Unembanked Neighbourhoods? An Exploration into Stakeholders’ Support for Adaptive Measures in Rotterdam. American Journal or Climate Change, 1, 181-193.
[2]	Uittenbroek, C., Janssen-Jansen, L., Runhaar, H.W., Salet, W. and Spit, T. (2014) Identification of the Various Beliefs on Climate Adaptation within Dutch Municipalities: A Comparative Case Study of Amsterdam, the Hague and Rotterdam. Environmental Politics, Forthcoming.
[3]	van Buuren, A., Driessen, P., van Rijswick, M., Rietveld, P., Salet, W.P.J. and Spit, T. (2013) Towards Adaptive Spatial Planning for Climate Change: Balancing between Robustness and Flexibility. Journal for European Environmental & Planning Law, 10, 29-53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18760104-01001003
[4]	Fleischhauer, M. (2004) Klimawandel, Naturgefahren und Raumplanung. Zielund Indikatorenkonzept zur Operationalisierung raumlicher Risiken. Dortmunder Vertrieb fur Bauund Planungsliteratur, Dortmund.
[5]	Pasche, E. (2012) Risikomanagement statt Hochwasserschutz von Kustenstadten in Zeiten des Klimawandels. Energieeffizienz von Gebauden. http://www.hochwasser-nord.de
[6]	Gough, I., Meadowcroft, J., Dryzek, J., Gerhards, J., Lengfeld, H., Markandya, A. and Ortiz, R. (2008) JESP Symposium: Climate Change and Social Policy. Journal of European Social Policy, 18, 325-344. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0958928708094890
[7]	Giddens, A. (2009) The Politics of Climate Change. Polity, Cambridge, Malden, MA.
[8]	Ren, C., Spit, T., Lenzholzer, S., Yim, H.L.S., Heusinkveld, B., van Hove, B., Chen, L., Kupski, S., Burghardt, R. and Katzschner, L. (2012) Urban Climate Map System for Dutch Spatial Planning. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 2012, 207-221. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2012.01.026
[9]	Hartmann, T. (2009) Clumsy Floodplains and the Law. Towards a Responsive Land Policy for Extreme Floods. Built Environment, 35, 531-544. http://dx.doi.org/10.2148/benv.35.4.531
[10]	Taekema, S., de Roo, A. and Elion-Valter, C. (2011) Understanding Dutch Law. Eleven International Publishing, The Hague.
[11]	Needham, B. (2007) Dutch Land Use Planning. Planning and Managing Land Use in the Netherlands, the Principles and the Practice. SDU Publishers, The Hague.
[12]	Rittel, H.W. and Webber, M.A. (1973) Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. Policy Sciences, 4, 155-169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01405730
[13]	Faludi, A. and van der Valk, A.J. (1990) De groeikernen als hoekstenen van de Nederlandse ruimtelijke planningdoctrine. Van Gorcum, Assen.
[14]	Dieleman, F.M. and Musterd, S. (1992) The Randstad: A Research and Policy Laboratory. Kluwer, Dordrecht.
[15]	Ministry VRO (Housing and Physical Planning) (1996) Second Report on Physical Planning in the Netherlands. Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning, The Hague.
[16]	Jenks, M., Burton, E. and Williams, K. (1996) The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form? E & FN Spon, London.
[17]	Ministry VROM (1993) Structuurschets Stedelijke Gebieden. Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and the Environment, The Hague.
[18]	Spit, T. and Zoete, P.R. (2009) Ruimtelijke ordening in Nederland. Een wetenschappelijke introductie in het vakgebied. Sdu uitgevers, The Hague.
[19]	Richardson, H.W. and Bae, C.C. (2004) Urban Sprawl in Western Europe and the United States. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey.
[20]	Folke, C., Hahn, T., Olsen, P. and Norberg, J. (2005) Adaptive Governance of Social-Ecological Systems. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 30, 441-473. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.30.050504.144511
[21]	Huitema, D., Mostert, E., Egas, W., Moellenkamp, S., Pahl-Wostl, C. and Yalcin, R. (2009) Adaptive Water Governance. Assessing the Institutional Prescriptions of Adaptive (Co-)Management from a Governance Perspective and Defining a Research Agenda. Ecology and Society, 14, 26.
[22]	Brunner, R.D. (2005) Adaptive Governance. Integrating Science, Policy, and Decision Making. Columbia University Press, New York.
[23]	Pahl-Wostl, C. (2006) Transitions towards Adaptive Management of Water Facing Climate and Global Change. Water Resources Management, 21, 49-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11269-006-9040-4
[24]	Boonstra, B. and Boelens, L. (2011) Self-Organization in Urban Development: Towards a New Perspective on Spatial Planning. Urban Research & Practice, 4, 99-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2011.579767
[25]	Hartmann, T. and Needham, B. (2012) Planning by Law and Property Rights Reconsidered. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey.
[26]	Needham, B. (2006) Planning, Law, and Economics. The Rules We Make for Using Land. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon.
[27]	Blanco, H., Alberti, M., Forsyth, A., Krizek, K.J., Rodríguez, D.A., Talen, E. and Ellis, C. (2009) Hot, Congested, Crowded and Diverse: Emerging Research Agendas in Planning. Progress in Planning, 71, 153-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.progress.2009.03.001
[28]	Elling, B. (2008) Rationality and the Environment. Decision-Making in Environmental Politics and Assessment. Earthscan, London.
[29]	Backes, C.W. and Verschuuren, J.M. (1998) Precautionary Principle in International, European, and Dutch Wildlife Law. Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy, 34, 43-70.
[30]	Prechal, S. (2008) National Applications of the Proportionality Principle—Free Movement and Procedural Requirements. Proportionality Reconsidered. Legal Issues of Economic Integration, 35, 201-216.
[31]	Unnerstall, H. (2006) The Principle of Full Cost Recovery in the EU-Water Framework Directive—Genesis and Content. Journal of Environmental Law, 19, 29-42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jel/eql038
[32]	Bohensky, E. and Lynam, T. (2005) Evaluating Responses in Complex Adaptive Systems: Insights on Water Management from the Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (SAfMA). Ecology and Society, 10, 11.
[33]	Vogt, M. (2005) Hochwassermanagement und raumliche Planung. In: Jupner, R., Ed., Hochwassermanagement, Shaker, Aachen, 97-118.
[34]	Strobl, T. (2006) Wasserbau. Aktuelle Grundlagen-neue Entwicklungen. Springer, Berlin.
[35]	Assmann, A. (2001) Dezentraler, Integrierter Hochwasserschutz-vom Konzept zur Planung. In: Heiden, S., Erb, R. and Sieker, F., Eds., Hochwasserschutz heute-nachhaltiges Wassermanagement, E. Schmidt, Berlin, 197-236.
[36]	Greiving, S. (2002) Raumliche Planung und Risiko. Gerling-Akademie Verlag, Munchen.
[37]	Patt, H. (2001) Hochwasser-Handbuch. Auswirkungen und Schutz. Springer, Berlin. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56923-4
[38]	Hartmann, T. (2011) Clumsy Floodplains. Responsive Land Policy for Extreme Floods. Ashgate, Farnham, Surrey.
[39]	Renn, O. (2008) Risk Governance. Coping with Uncertainty in a Complex World. Earthscan, London.
[40]	Geertman, S. (2006) Potentials for Planning Support: A Planning-Conceptual Approach. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 33, 863-880. http://dx.doi.org/10.1068/b31129
[41]	Brommelstroet, M.T. (2009) Commentary. The Relevance of Research in Planning Support Systems: A Response to Janssen et al. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 36, 4-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1068/b3601com
[42]	Billé, R. (2008) Integrated Coastal Zone Management: Four Entrenched Illusions. Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society, 1, 75-86.
[43]	Hartmann, T. (2012) Wicked Problems and Clumsy Solutions: Planning as Expectation Management. Planning Theory, 11, 242-256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1473095212440427
[44]	Root, L., van der Krabben, E. and Spit, T. (2014) Bridging the Financial Gap in Climate Adaptation: Dutch Planning and Land Development through a New Institutional Lens. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, (forthcoming). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2014.885412
[45]	Driessen, P.P.J. and Spit, T. (2010) De bekostiging van klimaatadaptatie: Argumenten voor een legitieme balans van baten en lasten. Beleid en Maatschappij, 37, 73-84.