Achieving urban climate adaptationin Europe and Central Asia

Carmin, JoAnn ; Zhang, Yan

关键词: ABRUPT CLIMATE;    ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE;    ABSORPTION;    ACCESS TO INFORMATION;    ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5088
RP-ID  :  WPS5088

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Many cities across Europe and CentralAsia are experiencing the impacts of climate change, butmost have not integrated climate adaptation into theiragendas. This paper examines the threats faced and measuresthat can be taken by cities in the region to protectbuildings, heritage sites, municipal functions, andvulnerable urban populations. In general, local governmentsmust be proactive in ensuring that existing buildings areclimate ready, paying particular attention to emergingtechnologies for retrofitting the prefabricated, panel stylebuildings that dominate the landscape while assessing theviability of homes situated in flood plains, coastal areas,and steep slopes. They also must ensure that newdevelopments and buildings are designed in ways that accountfor climatic fluctuations. Although the resilience of allpopulations needs to be considered, historical patterns ofdiscrimination require that special provisions are made forthe poor and for ethnic minorities such as the Roma becausethese groups will be most at risk, but are least likely tohave access to adequate resources. Urban climate adaptationrequires national-level support and local commitment.However, centralized planning and expert-led decision-makingunder the former regimes may affect the ability of cities topursue programmatic approaches to adaptation. Therefore,while national governments need to make adaptation a policypriority and ensure that municipalities have adequateresources, local government agencies and departments must betransparent in their actions and introduce participatory andcommunity-based measures that demonstrate respect fordiverse stakeholders and perspectives.