Assessing Adaptive Capacity of Cities and Regions: Concerns Over Methodology and Usability
Cities are key locations within which responses to climate change need to be taken. The vulnerability of cities depends on combined factors of exposure to climate impacts, sensitivity of the system and adaptive capacity of the city that can be mobilised f
- PDF / 288,720 Bytes
- 14 Pages / 439.36 x 666.15 pts Page_size
- 53 Downloads / 139 Views
Assessing Adaptive Capacity of Cities and Regions: Concerns Over Methodology and Usability S. Juhola
Abstract Cities are key locations within which responses to climate change need to be taken. The vulnerability of cities depends on combined factors of exposure to climate impacts, sensitivity of the system and adaptive capacity of the city that can be mobilised for action. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, adaptive capacity is defined as the ability or potential of a system to respond successfully to climate variability and change, and includes adjustments in both behaviour and in resources and technologies. Determinants of adaptive capacity are considered to include issues such as political institutions, economic resources, technological potential, infrastructure and equity. Many studies have attempted to assess adaptive capacity of systems, and drawing on earlier work, this chapter presents results from a study that mapped adaptive capacity on the regional and city level. The results show widely differing capacities within cities and regions in Europe that can potentially have an impact on adaptation policy. Urging caution in terms of using the results to steer policy, this chapter concludes by discussing the shortcomings of adaptive capacity assessments in terms of methodological challenges.
3.1 Introduction Cities are the key locations within which responses to climate change need to be taken. This is because most of the world’s population now live in cities and approximately three quarters of all large cities are located on the coastline [1], making them vulnerable to climate change induced sea level rise, for example.
S. Juhola () Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Department of Real Estate, Planning and Geoinformatics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] I. Linkov (ed.), Sustainable Cities and Military Installations, NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7161-1 3, © Springer ScienceCBusiness Media Dordrecht 2014
49
50
S. Juhola
The vulnerability of cities depends on the combined factors of exposure to climate impacts, sensitivity of the system and adaptive capacity that can be mobilised for action [11]. Adaptation, alongside mitigation, is a societal response to climate change that involves adjustments in the ways societies are organised in order to reduce vulnerability to slow on-set climate changes, as well as to rapid, extreme events. Thus adaptation refers to the processes, practices, and structures to moderate or offset potential damages or to take advantage of opportunities associated with the changing climate [2]. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines adaptation as ‘adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities’ [11]. Adaptation, as a societal
Data Loading...
