To counter the effects of climate change, Sweden’s municipalities have been tasked with preparing climate adaptation plans and implementing the necessary measures. To succeed in this will require a holistic perspective, a long-term approach, and a willingness at municipalities to adopt partly new roles.
According to the Swedish Planning and Building Act, each municipality must have an overview plan that sets out the direction for the long-term development of the physical environment. Since 2018, the plan must also show the municipality's view of the risk of damage to the built environment that may result from floods, landslides, avalanches and erosion that are climate-related, and how such risks can be reduced or eliminated. According to a survey* conducted by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, the results of which were published in early June 2021, there are major differences between the municipalities in terms of how far they have progressed in formulating their climate adaptation plans.
– “The measures needed to counter climate change span a wide field and pose immense challenges,” says Mårten Västerdal, a project manager at RISE who works with issues related to climate adaptation.
Analysis to determine risks
In the analysis, which must be completed before work on the climate adaptation plan can begin, each municipality is required to determine which type of natural events constitute a risk to the municipality’s residents and infrastructure. In some areas, erosion and landslides pose the biggest threat, while in others the threat stems from sea level rises and storms. In densely populated cities with very hard surfaces and little greenery, so-called urban heat islands can occur. Some municipalities are already experiencing periodic water shortages today. Flooding associated with torrential rain is, however, a risk shared by all municipalities.
– “The analysis part should also identify the municipality’s sensitive buildings, such as hospitals, healthcare facilities, and nursing homes, as well as important infrastructure, such as electricity and drinking water supply,” says Västerdal.
Long-term vision necessary
He stresses that it is not enough to solely refer to physical measures in the climate adaptation plan as solutions to the problems of climate change. It is crucial to look at the whole and to think in the long term. The built environment comprises numerous stakeholders and operators, so a system perspective is necessary:
– “What consequences will the measure have? How will the measure be funded? How will municipalities get residents to understand the measure? Who will implement the measure? How will it be managed continually and sustainably? It is one thing to formulate a climate adaptation plan, but it’s a whole other matter – and more challenging – to create favourable conditions to be able to implement it properly.”
Here, RISE can help by guiding and supporting the municipality in its work. With a basis in existing research, RISE utilises innovative work methods and has experience of transforming an organisation so that it becomes better at working flexibly and cohesively.
– “There is generally a good understanding of the climate problems among the municipalities’ urban planners, but different administrations are not always in sync,” explains Västerdal. “It is therefore important to achieve an organisation where everyone works together.”
It is therefore important to achieve an organisation where everyone works together
Natural and artificial solutions
So, what solutions exist which would enable communities to cope with torrential rains such as those experienced by Gävleborg and Dalarna in August?
– “Nature-based solutions for managing storm water, such as rain gardens, green roofs and retention ponds, are increasingly common features in urban environments,” says Västerdal. “But when it comes to preparing for extreme rainfall and associated flooding, such solutions are not enough. You may have to plan so-called run-off paths, which means that the water is led to a park or other large green area that can cope with being submerged. There are also different types of flood protection methods that can protect individual buildings from damage.”
Risk for forest fires
Climate change is not only causing more frequent heavy rainfall, but also long periods of drought, which increases the risk of forest fires. One way to create natural buffer zones is to restore the wetlands that were previously drained to make room for more forest. A variety of different tree species with transition zones comprising deciduous trees next to buildings is also a way to slow down the spread of the fire and hopefully reduce the financial losses.
– “A municipality cannot dictate how forest owners should manage their land, but it may be worthwhile considering how development in the desired direction can be supported,” says Västerdal. “According to the law, the municipality must carry out preventive work to protect life, health and property against fire, and, after all, it’s the municipal emergency services that must respond in the event of forest fires.”
Floods and droughts both risk access to clean water, and many initiatives are underway at RISE and other operators to find solutions that safeguard water supply. For example, this may involve purification methods, storm water recycling, or new ways of collaborating on water management.
– “In many parts of the climate adaptation work, the municipalities have neither unilateral control nor legislation that can be used to enforce control,” explains Västerdal. “So, it’s important to find ways to work with forms of soft control by raising the issue, informing, engaging in dialogue, and showing the effects of various measures. This is a partly new role that the municipalities must adopt. A positive aspect of the climate adaptation work is that it can create so many valuable synergy effects, both for individuals and for society as a whole – it’s just a matter of being able to see the possibilities.”
* IVL: Klimatanpassning 2021 - Så långt har Sveriges kommuner kommit