Climate Change in Cities by Sara Hughes Eric K. Chu & Susan G. Mason

Author:Sara Hughes, Eric K. Chu & Susan G. Mason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

Berkeley’s Resilience Strategy, as well as the adaption programs within it, were conceptualized through a collaborative multi-level process utilizing cross-departmental coalitions like the BSWG and partnerships with community organizations like ABAG and the Ecology Center. This form of enduring multi-level decision-making was a key contributor to Berkeley’s Resilience Strategy.

10.4.2 Rotterdam

As a delta city, water is viewed as both an asset and climate risk in Rotterdam (City of Rotterdam 2009). Rotterdam has consistently remodeled their city governance in response to flooding and other water related risks by developing new municipal departments, working groups, and offices. Over the last two decades, decision-makers have sharply transitioned from conceptualizing water issues as being a distinctive policy arena to now viewing it as a multi-sectoral, holistic, decentralized policy sphere. An important policy and structural development that exemplifies this transition was the creation of Rotterdam Climate Proof (RCP) in 2009, which was designed to build upon the progress of Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI), the most significant climate mitigation policy in Rotterdam to date (City of Rotterdam 2009).

RCP was established from collaborations between local public authorities such as the City of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, regional government agencies and institutions, and Delta Cities (an international network of coastal cities). The main objective of RCP was to help construct a climate-proof Rotterdam by 2025, and also sought to further the mitigation efforts from RCI, strengthen Rotterdam’s climate adaptation actions, and develop clear institutional structures for climate policy between local actors, stakeholders, and the local government (City of Rotterdam 2009). In addition to the overarching goal of establishing a climate-proof Rotterdam, RCP outlined three ancillary goals: to develop knowledge and create innovation around the intersection of water and spatial development, create innovative forms of adaptive development and build green infrastructure projects, and promote RCP’s innovations to other cities (City of Rotterdam 2009).

In 2013, Rotterdam ratified the Rotterdam Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, which was a policy designed to centralize municipal authority and increase the city’s adaptive capacity (City of Rotterdam 2013). The Adaptation Strategy also had the overarching goal of advancing the role of regional authorities from “guardians of public affairs” to “facilitators and initiators” (City of Rotterdam 2013: 26). To implement this goal, the City of Rotterdam worked closely with several regional authorities including the DCMR, which is the environmental agency for the Rijnmond region (City of Rotterdam 2013). For example, one of the focuses of the Adaptation Strategy was the further development of regional dike infrastructure that protects Rotterdam from rising sea levels and storm surges (City of Rotterdam 2013). This was achieved through working closely with regional government agencies to increase political and funding capacities.

The Adaptation Strategy was designed to improve upon the progress, both in terms of environmental policy and structural advancements, from RCI. An important procedural development that stemmed from the Adaptation Strategy was the blending of policy arenas and the integration of previously separated actors, institutions, and stakeholders. As the DCMR Deputy Director of Environment stated,Rotterdam is the largest, most influential municipality within our regional jurisdiction.

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