Buildings and urban development

Climate adaptation becomes part of all spatial planning

The development of sustainable constructions in cities and villages is a cornerstone in efforts to limit the climate changes caused by a growing population’s ever-increasing strain on the planet’s resources and climate.

Climate adaptation is primarily about adapting our buildings and cities to changing climate conditions. Nevertheless, the solutions must be sustainable and contribute to the green transition, which applies to the climate adaptation of our existing buildings to the same extent as the forward-looking urban development. Properly thought out, climate adaptation can contribute to more green breathing holes, making our cities and local areas better to live in and move around.

Over the past few years, Danish municipalities have worked purposefully to provide the basis for local climate adaptation. The focus is mainly on the risk of flooding due to increasing rain, violent cloudbursts, and expected rising water levels. They identified and mapped particularly vulnerable areas and, on that basis, developed plans and prioritised efforts.

In many places, exposed urban areas have already been climate-protected, and the efforts will continue in the coming years. Over time, the municipal climate adaptation plans will be written into the municipal development plans so that climate adaptation will form the basis for all planning of existing urban areas and new urban development. With local climate plans, the municipalities have a tool to consider climate adaptation as a basis for new planning.