Identifying local climate change measures and blockades in a tested DBCA-diagram to stimulate learning between cities

Abstract

Most of the world's cities are coastal, and most of them face the increasing threats associated with climate change. Coastal cities are also growing the fastest, which makes them a risk for millions of people. This increasing threat occurs when sea level rises, compounded by heavy rainfall and high river levels occurring simultaneously (Sanders 2020a). While measures to address climate change in coastal cities are being taken, or are in preparation and/or planning, along with measures for mitigation and adaptation (Sanders & Oliveira 2020), these measures all too often run into blockages, sometimes physical, but often also due to local special circumstances or a lack of financial resources. These are the results of the H2020 Marie Curie 'SOS Climate Waterfront' 2019-2023 research project, in which researchers exchanged their observations on European coastal cities. To make their insights available to other cities in the EU and beyond, the diagram of the 2020 study has been expanded, in line with the recommendations of this study. Observed blockages have also been added to the diagram concerning heritage protection, lack of finances, or opposition from the commons. Subsequently, the diagram was worked out for each of the six cities of the 'SOS Climate Waterfront' project to investigate whether they can be matched on the basis of their diagrams in order to learn from each other. As the research shows, many of the blockages could have been identified earlier in order to lift them in time, so that well-prepared measures could have been implemented. Only then can a city and its citizens become resilient.