Group E - Concept Mapping of Seminar Topics
Titel of Topic What Is Urban Adaptation Planning?
Concept Map
Discussion
Climate change is causing shifts in weather and climatic patterns throughout the cities around the world. With the change of temperatures and precipitation, urban areas face problems as increased incidence of heat waves, water shortages, storm surges, and impervious surfaces reduce the drainage of rain water and increase the risk of urban flooding. These impacts will stress urban infrastructure, decrease the habitability of many buildings, and in the process, create housing, health and livelihood hardships for those who are most vulnerable.
Even though, this problems happen on a local level, some cities don't have the resources to overcome them. European Environment Agency helps in these situations trough enabling climate change adaptation. They identify hotspots and adaptation needs and they act in.
In order to minimize the impacts of climate change on cities and their inhabitants, urban municipalities need to make concerted efforts to protect natural systems, the built environment, and human populations. They should reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and engage in activities that limit the effects of climate change. Urban adaptation planning, flexible and robust solutions, which work with nature's dynamics, should be appropriate for reducing effects of climate change.