KLIMPRAX Wiesbaden/Mainz – urban climate in the municipal practice: requirements considering the climate-relevant issues in municipal planning processes
Background and Goals
The guideline supports municipalities in dealing with urban climate issues in municipal planning processes in view of the fact that an adaptation to temperature-induced effects of climate change is becoming increasingly important. The aim of the project is the increased consideration of urban climate concerns in municipal planning processes. The project deals with the temperature related climate impacts for municipalities. The focus is on the analysis of the current and future urban climate, the identification of the need for action and adaptation options as well as the formulation of recommendations for municipal planning practice.
Content time
Research area/region
Country
- Germany
Region of implementation (all German federal states)
- Rhineland Palatinate
Natural spatial classification
- Upper Rhine Rift
Spatial resolution
Wiesbaden and Mainz
Steps in the process of adaptation to climate change
Step 1: Understand and describe climate change
Approach and results
On the basis of observation data of the DWD, the mean value of the current 30-year period (1986-2015) was compared with the average value of the reference period (1961-1990). The average of the current period at 9.3°C is significantly higher than that of the reference period (8.4°C). In addition, the development of mean temperatures in summer was investigated. Observational data from 1881 to 2016 show a trend towards temperature increase.
Climate projections with ensembles were carried out for the future development of the annual mean temperature and mean summer temperature: For the RCP4.5 scenario and the RCP8.5 scenario, one ensemble with 14 climate projections each, for the SRES A1B scenario one with 17 climate projections. All the projections studied show an increase in temperature.
Parameter (climate signals)
- Higher average temperatures
Further Parameters
Temperature change in the meteorological summer
Time horizon
- short term = next year’s / decades
- medium term = to 2050
- long term = to 2100 and beyond
Step 3: Develop and compare measures
Measures and/or strategies
In order for a local authority to be able to improve its adaptive capacity for climate change, various conditions must be met. From the analysis of model communes and accompanying literature, the project identified four fields of action that are important for the successful implementation of adaptation to climate change in municipal planning processes:
- Perception of the impact and motivation to act in politics and administration. How can an awareness of the issues of adaptation to climate change be created and motivated to engage with the topic?
- Knowledge of climate change and its local consequences through appropriate technical basics and their preparation and dissemination. Which technical bases does the municipality need?
- Embedding of the topic in local development strategies, weighting and linking with other relevant topics. How can synergies be used for the work in the administration?
- Cooperation and coordination within the municipal administration and with other actors within the planning processes. Who should cooperate with whom?
For the four fields of action, possible measures were identified and presented in short profiles.
Time horizon
- Presence
- 2021–2050 (near future)
- 2071–2100 (far future)
Participants
Project management
Hessian State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology
Cooperation/Partners
INFRASTRUKTUR & UMWELT professor Böhm and partner
State capital Wiesbaden
Stadte capital Mainz
DWD (German Weather Service)
State Office for Environment Rhineland-Palatinate
Competence Center for Climate Change Consequences Rhineland-Palatinate
