The Adaptation Strategies Cluster develops, applies and communicates knowledge supporting governments and stakeholders in the development of adaptation strategies. Development of adaptation strategies requires insights in 1) impacts of climate change; 2) adaptation options; 3) performance of these options. The Adaptation Strategies Cluster develops and applies knowledge and tools that support these three steps in the process of developing adaptation strategies (figure 1). The key scientific challenge is to combine disciplinary knowledge and to develop an integrated methodology.
The cluster brings together inputs from a broad range of disciplines. The cluster therefore works closely together with many research groups within and outside WUR. Quantifying CC impacts at various spatial scales involves coupling of models, translating CC scenario’s to impacts on hydrology, soil characteristics and eventually to impacts on socio-economic functions (biodiversity, agriculture, urban area’s, infrastructure, etc). Designing possible adaptation strategies is often done in a close cooperation with policy makers and stakeholders, for instance in interactive workshops. Evaluation and monitoring of alternative options can be supported by various tools and methods such as expert panels, societal cost benefit analysis, multicriteria analysis, indicators, etc.
The cluster provides direct quantitative input into adaptation planning activities and supports strategy development in a more general sense, at the national (evaluation framework, klimaatwijzer, PBL assessments), provincial (structuurvisies, plan-MER, beheersplannen Natura 2000) and municipal level (structuurvisies, bestemmingsplannen, etc.).
Figure 1: Development of adaptation strategies requires an analysis of climate
change impacts, design of adaptation options and evaluation and monitoring
The cluster consists of 16 researchers with various backgrounds and disciplines. The cluster teaches a new course on climate change adaptation for the BSc minor "Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Society", starting March 2010. The cluster is working on a variety of interesting projects, some of which are listed below.
Climate Effect Atlas
The Climate Atlas project develops a shared knowledge base on climate change impacts at local/regional level. The project develops an online geoportal with relevant knowledge on climate change impacts, providing the regional governments easy access to scientific information. Read more.
Contact: hasse.goosen(at)wur.nl
Knowledge for Climate
Knowledge for Climate is a research programme for the development of knowledge and services that makes it possible to climate proof the Netherlands. Governmental organisations (central government, provinces, municipalities and water boards) and businesses, actively participate in research programming through the input of additional resources (matching). Knowledge is developed within the research programme that is necessary to be able to assess investments to be made in spatial planning and infrastructure over the coming twenty years in terms of their resistance to climate change, and for making changes where necessary. It is about climate proofing the Netherlands.
Contact: pier.vellinga(at)wur.nl; aad.sedee(at)wur.nl; jantsje.vanloon(at)wur.nl
Website: www.knowledgeforclimate.org
WATCH
The Integrated Project Water and Global Change (WATCH), funded under the EU FP6, will bring together the hydrological, water resources and climate communities to analyse, quantify and predict the components of the current and future global water cycles and related water resources states; evaluate their uncertainties and clarify the overall vulnerability of global water resources related to the main societal and economic sectors.
Contact: fulco.ludwig(at)wur.nl
Website: www.eu-watch.org
HighNoon
The aim of the EU FP7 HighNoon project is to assess the impact of Himalayan glaciers retreat and possible changes of the Indian summer monsoon on the spatial and temporal distribution of water resources in Northern India and to provide recommendations for appropriate and efficient response strategies that strengthen the cause for adaptation to hydrological extreme events.
Contact: eddy.moors(at)wur.nl
Website: www.eu-highnoon.org
Delta Alliance
The Delta Alliance is an initiative to promote international cooperation of experts, water managers, other practitioners and their governments. It aims to raise awareness, share information and develop tools for sustainable development of low-lying areas in times of a changing world and a changing climate.
Contact: katherine.trajan(at)wur.nl
Website: www.delta-alliance.org
EU Adaptation and impacts Clearinghouse of adaptation and Guidelines for regional adaptation strategies
The establishment of a European Clearinghouse on adaptation and impacts is one of the key elements of the recent EU White Paper on climate change adaptation policy. DG Environment has started three projects to support the development of such a clearinghouse. Alterra staff contributes to two of these projects: “Preparations for the establishment of European Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Clearinghouse –Sharing of good practice in the EU”, and “Design of guidelines for the elaboration of Regional Climate Change Adaptations Strategies”. User responses to a questionnaires have been used to determine the scope and contents, while work is ongoing on the technical and operational design. Guidelines for regional strategies are currently developed based on good practices in Europe and available sets of sectoral and national guidelines. These two projects are coordinated with a 3rd project “Preliminary assessment and roadmap for the elaboration of Climate Change Vulnerability Indicators at regional level”, in which Alterra is not directly involved. The projects will be finished by mid 2009.
For more information contact Rob Swart: rob.swart(at)wur.nl
Update of climate science and worst case climate policy
The Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment has requested the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) to report in the autumn of 2009 on scientific advances in climate science since the IPCC’s 4th Assessment Report, on the possibilities that the climate may change faster than anticipated by the IPCC (e.g., if tipping points are exceeded), and finally, if and if so how the government should respond to the possibility of such a rapid climate change. Alterra coordinates the WUR contribution to this project, which covers the update of the science on climate change impacts and adaptation, and the policy response to a “worst case” climate change. The latter evaluates four options; “crash” emissions reductions programmes, options to remove carbon from the atmosphere, methods to change the radiative balance of the earth, and if these three options would not be sufficient, emergency adaptation options. This work includes an assessment of the controversial so-called geo-engineering options, which are receiving increasing attention as an at least temporary solution (“emergency cooling” in case the world would not manage to decrease emissions fast enough. The project is implemented in collaboration with PBL, KNMI and ECN.
For more information contact Rob Swart: rob.swart(at)wur.nl
Robust flood protection: exploring the chances for ‘climate buffers’ and ‘broad dikes’ as safe, climate proof and multifunctional flood protection measures
Climate change and, linked to that, the enhanced sea-level rise, extreme summer rain, extreme river discharges, developments in economy, demography and science lead continuously to new challenges for flood protection. Although there are many uncertainties with regard to the exact effects of climate change, it seems wise to account for the expected sea level rise and extreme river discharges by creating a sufficiently robust protection infrastructure. With robust flood protection infrastructure we mean dikes that don’t collapse when overflowing with high water and don’t fail structurally due to draught stress, but can resist these stresses. Robust, climate proof, dikes have to be sufficiently strong due to their width, height and/or internal structure such that the chance on an unmanageable flood event is practically nil. Moreover, these dikes should be planned sustainably into the densely build-up and populated Netherlands. By combining several functions such as housing, recreation, nature, agriculture, transport (etc.) a ‘climate dike’ seems a promising way for the Netherlands to adjust itself timely to climate change. The project aims at composing an overview of all the possible implementations of robust flood protection, and in addition to specify a procedure that allows to combine qualitative knowledge (e.g. about safety and different functions) with quantitative knowledge (e.g. costs and return periods of floods) in a structured way. This procedure may in the future be implemented as interactive software or a flexible workflow that can combine or compare results from experimental research, case studies, and model calculations.
Contact: Ir. J.M. (Jantsje) van Loon-Steensma, +31 (0)317 – 485812, jantsje.vanLoon(at)wur.nl
ADAM: Mainstreaming climate adaptation into regional water and land use planning
Based on our research in two study regions in Europe and one region in China, we find that adaptation is enhanced by pilot projects that test and debate diverse sets of new ideas through collaboration between recognised actors from civil society, policy and science. Promising for adaptation is the integration of (traditional) agro‐environmental land use systems that regulate regional climate impacts with new technologies, organizational responsibilities and financial instruments. A key challenge is to create flexible financial instruments that facilitate benefit‐ and burden‐sharing, social learning and that support a diverse set of potentially better‐adapted new activities rather than compensate for climate impacts on existing activities. Read more.
Contact: saskia.werners(at)wur.nl
Website: www.adamproject.eu
New in 2011
Contribution of salt marches to the safety of Terschelling
Directly outside the dikes of the Wadden sea (N. Netherlands), generally salt marshes are present. They are the result of the deposition of sand, silt and clay and subsequent establishment of vegetation. Salt marshes are of great international importance for both flora and fauna, and contribute to water safety as they reduce direct wave impact on dikes and the hinterland. In recent decades a significant area of saltmarshes has disappeared along the Wadden sea near terschelling. More recently, attempts to control and stop this disappearance seem succesful. Therefore stakeholders from the Knowledge for Climate Hotspot Wadden asked to explore opportunities, limitations and questions regarding salt marsh formation along the flood defences of Terschelling (Wadden). In close cooperation with the municipality of Terschelling, Waterboard Fryslân, the Province of Fryslân and DLG a quick scan is executed.
Contact: Ir. J.M. (Jantsje) van Loon-Steensma, +31 (0)317 – 485812, jantsje.vanLoon(at)wur.nl