The case for climate change adaptation

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are now at their highest for 3 million years and as a result urban areas are vulnerable to increased temperatures and flooding.

Regional spatial planning and urban design can provide solutions that make our communities less vulnerable to these risks. Green infrastructure including gardens, parks, productive landscapes, green corridors, green roofs and walls and blue infrastructure such as water bodies, rivers, streams, floodplains and sustainable drainage systems, play a vital role in creating climate resilient development � a role, which is currently not sufficiently recognised and utilised and lacks integration in mainstream planning.

By advancing the knowledge and expertise of partner staff through the GRaBS project, decisions makers, politicians and communities, and regional and local municipalities across Europe will be able to make a more informed and strategic response to climate change adaptation. In the long term communities will reduce their vulnerability to the environmental, social and economic damage related to climate change impacts including extreme temperature increases and flooding incidents.