Sharing the lessons on securing the wellbeing of our communities

Published by Fiona Mannion for TCPA in Environment and also in Communities, Education, Local Government

Partners from the European project, GRaBS (Green and Blue Space Adaptation in Urban Areas and Eco-towns), will be meeting in Sicily this week to discuss the key outcomes of the project, and launch four new expert papers on promoting adaptation strategies for climate change as well as a set of Policy Guidelines on adapting transport systems to climate change. Presentations from the five partners responsible will set out the key findings from their papers which are based on experience, study visits and research undertaken as part of the GRaBS project. The meeting in Sicily will include a conference and workshops as well as a discussion on the partners' Adaptation Action Plans’ which are now reaching completion.

Diane Smith, GRaBS project manager said:

“This is an exciting time for GRaBS as we enter the final months of the project. These new expert papers, including one on collaborative working as well as on green and blue space adaptation strategies, are at the heart of what the GRaBS project is all about - exchanging knowledge and promoting best practice in adapting to climate change.”

“In the UK, as well as across Europe, local authorities and communities have both the responsibility and the opportunity to deal with climate change and how we adapt our urban environments to cope with extreme weather. Good planning has a pivotal role in securing the quality of life of local people, by ensuring that new development is attractive and well designed. The expert papers help create a wealth of knowledge which people can draw upon to ensure that their communities remain desirable places to live and work as well as resilient against the effects of climate change and extreme weather. The Policy Guidelines for adapting transport systems to climate change are particularly valuable.” 

“The lessons for collaborative working show how the wider planning community can come together in a cooperative and open way to tackle challenging policy issues and reach consensus on vital areas to the future of our communities.”

The four expert papers and policy guidelines are as follows:

1. GRaBS Expert Paper: The Green Net, City of Graz, by Christine Schwaberger

Every year, the number of people who live in cities and town grows by 67 million. According to the UN Global Report on Human Settlements 2011, Cities and Climate Change: Policy Directions, the world’s cities are responsible for up to 70% of harmful greenhouse gases while occupying just 2% of its land. What goes on in cities, and how they manage their impact on the environment, lies at the core of the problem.

And yet it is the people living in cities that suffer most from the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. The Austrian City of Graz is similar to thousands of other European cities and faces similar social, economic and environmental challenges. This paper looks at how it is has adapted to the impact of climate change already and gives examples of how other Cities can do the same. Around 40% of Graz is made up of green space, and it has an extensive green network and a pioneering approach to green infrastructure that dates back to 1980.

2. GRaBS Expert Paper: Collaborative working for climate change policies, by Alex House

One important objective of the GRaBS project is to promote high-level policy commitments from politicians and wider civil society groups. The UK Planning and Climate Change Coalition (PCCC) represents one innovative example of how several organisations can come together to lobby for effective policy action at the highest level.

The story of how the PCCC came into being and how the members worked together to produce a leading-edge policy guide for climate change is all the more remarkable because of the very different objectives of the member groups. This Expert Paper makes a valuable contribution to anyone wishing to build consensus and influence by capturing the ways of working that made the PCCC successful.

3. GRaBS Expert Paper: Green Space Factor and Green Points system, by Annika Kruuse, Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, City of Malmö

Annika Kruuse from the City of Malmö, outlines the success of partnership working between the private, public and voluntary sector to produce new developments that have a positive capacity to adapt to climate change as well as mitigate the impacts. The partnership works because the developer has some choice of delivery, local government can meet its targets, and the community benefits from improved green infrastructure and a lessened impact of extreme heat and excessive rainfall. This expert paper explains the process and the impact of the Green Space Factor and Green Points system with a view to showing the lessons that can be transferred to other towns and cities across Europe.

4. GRaBS Expert Paper: The Role of Transport for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, by the University of Catania GRaBS team

Adaptation to climate change requires considering how the concentration of buildings and paved surfaces in urban areas creates a specific urban climate with higher temperatures, the so-called ‘heat island effect’. Urban green space is therefore very important because of its effects in ameliorating these climatic effects. It can create local microclimates that are more comfortable for people, and it can help to reduce temperatures and promote airflow and movement. This paper gives an overview of the complex interactions between the transport system, building density and climate change, addressing the role of transport policies both in mitigating the global effects of climate change and in enabling our towns to adapt to its inevitable impacts, within the framework of urban sustainable development.

5. GRaBS Policy Guidelines: Adapting Transport Systems to Climate Change, by Giuseppe Inturri and Matteo Ignaccolo, University of Catania

The impacts of climate change will affect how people move around. Increased temperatures may extend summer travel patterns, while changes in the amount of rainfall may influence how attractive walking or cycling becomes. Although these might be considered to be small adaptation responses, the knock-on effects may be significant because of the difficulty of getting people to choose more sustainable modes of transport. This set of policy guidelines sets out principles for consideration in adapting our different forms of transport to climate change.

The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA)  is Lead Partner for the GRaBS project. There are14 partners across 8 European Union member states exchanging experience, knowledge and assistance on delivering adaptation through the use of green and blue infrastructure. The project started in September 2008 and ends in August 2011. The project recognises that adaptation is an integral part of the sustainable development agenda, and its outputs have been central to developing an understanding of the issues. The final conference takes place in London on 8 June 2011 - see www.grabs-eu.org for further information, including access to the online adaptation database and expert papers. GRaBS is co-financed by the European Union Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and made possible by the INTERREG IVC Programme^.