CLISP - Climate Change Adaptation by Spatial Planning in the Alpine Space: WP 6 Risk Governance & Risk Communication: SYNTHESIS REPORT.

Wien

Lebensministerium

2011

131 S.

Monographie

175550

The project CLISP aimed at introducing climate change adaptation to spatial planning and, especially within WP6, fostered a dialogue between project participants and stakeholders in model regions. By assessing existing risk management systems, and by investigating the role of spatial planning in the management of climateinduced, spatially relevant risks in model regions, WP6 also aimed at exploring opportunities of employing risk governance principles in planning procedures and contributing to increased consideration of climate change issues in spatial planning. This synthesis report of WP6 activities on transnational and model region level comprises two thematic sections (Section 2 - 3). Section 2 is dedicated to climate change risk governance and spatial planning and summarizes information on the status quo of risk governance structures gained from the partners in the model regions. In Section 3 the risk communication activities carried out within CLISP in the model regions are described and summarized on transnational level. In Section 4 conclusions will be drawn from all WP6 activities. The expected future increase of the risk potential due to climate change calls for improved risk-related decision-making in spatial planning. That is why risk governance principles including the entity of actors, rules, conventions, processes and mechanisms concerned with the information, analysis, management and communication of climate change-related risks should be promoted in planning procedures. A good risk governance calls for an efficient risk communication that fosters an interactive process of exchanging information and opinions about risk-relevant issues among individuals, groups and institutions. Combining bottom-up and top-down risk governance-related processes is essential for consensus-building between all stakeholders and for legitimating public decisions. Aspects of governance and communication include the coordination of multiple sectors and different levels of governance as well as the communication with, and participation of, stakeholders and the public. The wider the audience as well as the understanding of the benefits and limitations of risk communication, the acceptance of decisions and the willingness to participate will increase. Based on embedding risk governance principles in project activities, WP6 investigated existing risk management systems in the CLISP model regions and contributed to raising awareness as well as preparedness to take action on climate-related risks by conducting dialogue processes with regional and local stakeholders. By assessing existing risk management systems, and by investigating the role of spatial planning in the management of climate-induced, spatially relevant risks in model regions, WP6 also aimed at exploring opportunities of employing risk governance principles in planning procedures and contributing to increased