Foreign Publications - 2014

National adaptation policy processes in European countries — 2014

This report draws on the results of a self-assessment survey conducted on national adaptation policy processes in Europe. In May 2013, the survey was sent out by the European Environment Agency (EEA) to authorities in countries responsible for coordinating adaptation at national level. Some 30 EEA member countries provided their responses on a voluntary basis. Thanks to the high response rate and the wealth of information provided by these European countries, this report presents a unique collection of information and the largest and most comprehensive overview of national adaptation policy processes in Europe, to date.

Delta Programme 2015: Working on the delta - the decisions to keep the Netherlands safe and liveable

The Netherlands has a new Delta Plan containing decisions and strategies aimed at protecting the Netherlands from flooding and ensuring an adequate freshwater supply in the decades ahead. The national government, provinces, water boards and municipalities will be working together to make the spatial design of the Netherlands more robust and resilient to extreme weather. The objective is for the Netherlands to be liveable, habitable and economically strong in the 21st century.

Transport Resilience Review - A review of the resilience of the transport network to extreme weather events
The UK Department for Transport have recently published the recommendations of its Transport Resilience Review. The review is an independent study of all modes of transport and their ability to function in a wide range of extreme weather events.

Using Retro-fit Green Infrastructure to Reduce Pollution and Flooding in Llanelli and Gowerton, South Wales

This article from the magazine Hydrolink 2014-2 presents a solution to waste water spillage to a natural reserve in Southern Wales. The solution is to adapt green areas in Llanelli and Gowerton.

Climate Change Adaptation Manual - Evidence to support nature conservation in a changing climate

This Adaptation Manual is a resource to help conservation managers and advisors to make informed decisions about adaptation. It brings together recent science, experience and case studies, and is intended to be an accessible entry point to a range of available resources and tools that can support practical adaptation.

Austrian adaptation plan

Adaptation to climate change is a key challenge at the provincial, regional and local levels due to the fact that climate change impacts appear mostly at these levels. In order to support politicians and experts in the public administration of provinces and cities, as well as actors in regional management in developing adaptation strategies, the Environment Agency Austria in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences published a handbook with methods and tools which help to tackle the challenges of adaptation. It provides guidance for the strategic and proactive examination of climate change impacts. The handbook is one of the main results out from the project FAMOUS (Factory of Adaptation Measures operated ad different Scales) financed by the Climate and Energy Fund.

The handbook is divided into two parts:
Part 1, the essential steps of an adaptation process are described and organized into three phases: Phase 1) Creating a Foundation for Adaptation, Phase 2) Identifying Risks and Finding Solutions, Phase 3) Implementing and Monitoring Actions.
Part 2 covers the concrete measures and tools for each phase of the adaptation process. These are provided in form of fact sheets, checklists, guidelines, etc.

Climate Local Action Plans report

A new Climate Local report analyses councils' climate change action plans. The report revealed that 60 Climate Local councils have committed to deliver over 1,400 individual actions to tackle climate change.

Heatwave plan for England

Public Health England and NHS England have published their heatwave plan for 2014, alongside guidance for individuals and those working in the health and social care sector. The plan includes information on expected impacts on other sectors (such as transport and energy), key trigger temperatures and key public health messages.

Climate Change Impacts in the United States

The National Climate Assessment assesses the science of climate change and its impacts across the United States, now and throughout this century. It documents climate change related impacts and responses for various sectors and regions, with the goal of better informing public and private decision-making at all levels.
The assessment draws from a large body of scientific peer-reviewed research, technical input reports, and other publicly available sources.

Spatial analysis of green infrastructure in Europe

The EEA report, 'Spatial analysis of green infrastructure in Europe', maps a network of natural and semi-natural spaces and other environmental features in Europe with a good capacity to deliver  'ecosystem services'. These include air filtration, erosion protection, regulating water flow, coastal protection, pollination, maintaining soil structure, water purification, and carbon storage. The report also identifies key habitats for large forest-dwelling mammals and the analysis of connectivity among them.

Marine messages
The seas of Europe are home to a rich and diverse amount of species, habitats and ecosystems. Although they are crucial to Europe's economic and social wellbeing, many of these ecosystems risk to be irreparably damaged by human activities. "Marine Messages, a report from the European Environment Agency", gives an overview of the current status of European seas and our use of them. The report argues that economic activities, including transport, fisheries, energy and tourism should be well-managed in order to ensure sustainable underwater ecosystems.