Planning, implementation, and operation

Mainstreaming water adaptation means to take onboard water as a structural agent in spatial planning. Often water has been an element which is added at the end of a planning process, as a technical add on. Bringing in water more centrally in the planning process, means that collaboration between sectors is needed such as water professionals and spatial planners. It also means a greater attention to risk considerations in spatial planning. This entails involving both risk professionals active in preparedness, response, and recovery activities, as well as understanding how risks can be prevented by addressing unsustainable development. This also entails understanding climate risks, including the challenges of tomorrow, and the required decision-making under uncertainty.

Planning Processes

For all planning processes, it is essential that planning is realised in implementation. This includes providing for essential elements of operation and maintenance to make solutions sustainable over the long term. There is a need for planners to understand the realities of implementation to put in place the right enablers such as financial incentives, and policies etc. For adaptation, this means the need for integrating new solutions (innovations) in old systems and working processes. 

Articles

Adaptation in Deltas
Article

Adaptation in Deltas: Reaching Impact at Scale

Adaptation in Deltas: Reaching Impact at Scale 

Read Article
freshwater
Event

Community Dialogue - mainstreaming water adaptation

08/11/2022 - 16:00

Water governance is often not fit to respond to the adaptation challenges, being fragmented and insufficiently integrated with climate change planning. National, provincial and municipal governments and water boards hold different responsibilities for putting in place good water governance but sometimes lack capacity and coordination. Therefore, the current water crisis is very much a governance crisis exacerbated by climate change

Read Article
Parana Delta
Case Study

Paraná Delta in Argentina - Climate adaptation practices - Lighthouse case study

The Paraná Delta, Argentina has long been neglected. However, agreements between national and provincial governments have led to the setting up of a network of bases in national parks to conserve wetlands and support sustainable socio-economic activities.

Read Case Study
Aerial view of river IJssel, Zwolle, Overijssel Province, the Netherlands.
Article

The Delta Programme governance approach, The Netherlands by Peter Glas

The Delta Programme of The Netherlands is a government initiative to ensure that the Netherlands is protected against flooding, now and in the future, and prepared for weather extremes. Furthermore, sufficient fresh water must be available.

Read Article
Testing of rain bed
Article

Testing Rainbeds in Oslo - Correcting Technical Design Issues

Several rain beds and open storm water solutions have been implemented in Oslo, Norway. This video shows testing storm water retention in two urban rain-gardens in Oslo. It shows show this ensured that the design flaws could be detected and corrected. 

Read Article
Tree in a city
Article

Mainstreaming Nature based Solutions

A film about sustainable urban transformation for climate change adaptation with focused on mainstreaming nature based solutions in urban governance and planning by Professor Christine Wamsler, Lund University Center for Sustainability Studies.

Read Article
Crane on a boat
Photo: Sergei Dubrovskii (istock)

This section will be expanded to also include information on:

  • Decision-making under uncertainty
  • Mobilizing partnerships
  • Strengthening links to disaster risk reduction such as preparedness, response and building back better
  • Knowledge and capacity development on risk and adaptation