KoBe - Empowerment of Municipalities on Local Level to Adapt to Climate Change

Background and Goals

Regarding the adaptation to climate change, the local level plays a particular role. This represents new challenges mainly to the municipalities. The project examines in dialogue with small and medium-sized municipalities, which factors inhibit or promote the adaptation, especially in communities of this size. On the one hand, the participating municipalities will be encouraged to increase their adaptive capacity. On the other hand, recommendations will be developed as the public support framework for local authorities can be improved.

Eleven municipalities from six German federal states participate within the project. These municipalities are affected in varying degrees by the impacts of climate change and are also at different stages, to build structures and activities capable of taking action on climate change adaptation.

The overarching objectives of the project are:

  1. the support in increasing the self-care and self-responsibility of the local level,
  2. the support of local authorities in the regular inclusion of the climate impact consideration in all relevant planning and decision processes ("adaptation mainstreaming") and
  3. the strengthening of an integral, meaning a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral overarching approach for measures at local level.

Content time

to

Research area/region

Country
  • Germany
Region of implementation (all German federal states)
  • Baden-Württemberg
  • Bavaria
  • Brandenburg
  • Hesse
  • Northrhine-Westphalia
  • Saxony-Anhalt
Spatial resolution 

Eleven municipalities from six German federal states are involved within the project:

  1. Arnsberg,
  2. Bad Liebenwerda,
  3. Bamberg,
  4. Frankfurt (Oder),
  5. Konstanz,
  6. Lohmar,
  7. Ludwigsburg,
  8. Offenbach am Main,
  9. Recklinghausen,
  10. Wernigerode (Harz),
  11. Wolfhagen

Steps in the process of adaptation to climate change

Step 1: Understand and describe climate change

Approach and results 

A separate profile was created for each of the 11 municipalities within the project. The profiles show the climate change-related changes for the individual municipalities.

Parameter (climate signals)
  • River flooding
  • Heat waves
  • Altered rainfall patterns
  • Higher average temperatures
  • Low water
  • Extreme precipitation (incl. hail, snow)
  • Storm
  • Dry periods
Further Parameters 

different parameters for each of the municipalities relevant

Step 2a: Identify and assess risks - climate effects and impact

Approach and results 

A separate profile was created for each of the 11 municipalities within the project. The profiles show the climate change impacts and the vulnerability for the individual municipalities.

Step 3: Develop and compare measures

Measures and/or strategies 

Within the work package “Organisation and evaluation of six workshops with municipalities” research findings will be discussed and validated with selected municipalities on the basis of the analysis of main factors. Additionally, these workshops provide a procedural frame for exchange of experience between the participating municipalities as well as for knowledge transfer between all actors and stakeholders involved. Furthermore, the workshops will focus on overlaps between adaptation measures and other fields of action such as energy planning, demographic change and urban water management. The objective of this technical workshop is to support municipalities and to address interfaces between municipal fields of action and climate change adaptation analytically (vulnerability assessment), institutionally (e.g. establishing cross-disciplinary working contexts) and strategic (development of target corridors and action approaches). Furthermore overarching target-group-specific recommendations of measures will also be developed.

The objective of the work package "Documentary" is a target-group-specific preparation of the workshops and project results. In addition, relevant contents will be integrated into the existing tools "Klimalotse 2.0" ("Climate Navigator") and "Tatenbank" (see: www.anpassung.net).

Time horizon
  • 2011–2040 (near future)
  • 2071–2100 (far future)

Step 4: Plan and implement measures

Measures and/or strategies 

Within the work package "Analysis of local capacities for action as well as of factors hindering and promoting local climate change adaptation" approaches and opportunities will be documented and assessed at the local level as well as inhibiting and promoting factors of local adaptation systematically be identified. Thus, case studies will be performed with selected municipalities.

The final work package "Advising the Federal Government" is dedicated to generate advices for the future policy development of the German Adaptation Strategy (DAS) and to develop recommendations for the further development of municipal funding by the federal government.

Participants

Funding / Financing 

German Environment Agency

Project management 

Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy

Cooperation/Partners 

Actors from the participating 11 municipalities

Contact

Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie GmbH
Döppersberg 19
D-42103 Wuppertal

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Fields of action:
 cross sectoral