No 'one size fits all' to resilient cities

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

This weekend, Dr. Jeremy Carter, Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, will address the Resilient Cities 2011 congress in Bonn to discuss what has been learnt from the GRaBS (Green and Blue Space Adaptation in Urban Areas and Eco-towns) project on the varying capacity of local organisations and councils to deliver much needed adaptation strategies throughout Europe.

This is the second time that the GRaBS project will present its findings at the world renowned Resilient Cities congress, with over 550 delegates, including mayors, governors, top UN officials and major stakeholders from around the world.

Climate change is already leading to an increased frequency of extreme weather events such as flooding and droughts. Many of these climate change impacts will be – and in some cases already have been – felt directly at the local level. Several years ago the word ‘adaptation’ was little known; today it is increasingly recognised as central to the future resilience of our communities as well as improving peoples’ quality of life and biodiversity.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s event, Dr. Jeremy Carter said:

“With scientific consensus building around the causes and impacts of climate change, it is now crucial that cities and urban areas develop adaptation responses to meet the associated challenges and foster potential opportunities. However, adaptation planning is complex and multifaceted and the understanding and capacity of organisations across Europe is very varied. Although there is a range of generic principles that can be usefully applied when developing adaptation responses, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to improving the resilience of our communities. Projects such as GRaBS provide a rich insight into adaptation planning and are leading the way in sharing knowledge and expertise which results in action on the ground.”

“Local governments have a responsibility to protect their people, property, and resources. With the economies, livelihoods, safety and character of their communities at stake, cities must harness their visionary leadership and policy tools to increase resilience as they prepare for the future. This will be crucial in the UK as the Government devolves power to the local level, with councils and communities at the forefront of adapting to climate change and delivering positive solutions.”

Dr. Jeremy Carter will be speaking at ‘The process of integrated adaptation planning’ session, Saturday 4^th June, 11.00 – 12.30. In this session, expert researchers and practitioners review emerging wisdom about best practices in adaptation planning and then draw on experience and research findings to challenge assumptions and show what we can learn about process and outcomes shaping up in cities around the world. Various aspects of adaptation planning will be highlighted including methodology, elements, policy factors, process, design and implementation.

The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) is Lead Partner for the GRaBS project. There are 14 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^.