Reviewing Urban Plans to accommodate climate adaptation: building resilience to future challenges

Transcription

1 F2 New Approaches to Resilient Urban Planning and Design Reviewing Urban Plans to accommodate climate adaptation: building resilience to future challenges Catarina Freitas (Sara Dionísio, Patrícia Silva, Nuno Lopes) Head of the Sustainable Environmental Management and Planning Department City Council of Almada, Portugal

2 Day 1 We don t know what to adapt Adaptation is a new policy domain There will be always exposure and risks, so resilience makes the difference Structural adaptation measures are not enough Do we always have to go through disasters to change? Switch from sustainability to resilience Adaptation is not necessary linear and nice process puzzle Redefine progress Cities need to act now

3 Topics... a glimpse of Almada... adaptation in Almada s Strategy for Climate Change... improving resilience through land use planning ( energy ability for urbanization concept)

4 Topics... a glimpse of Almada... adaptation in Almada s Strategy for Climate Change... improving resilience through land use planning ( energy ability for urbanization concept)

5

6 Lisboa Almada Almada Lisbon Metropolitan Area Area ~ 70 km inhabitants

7 Lisboa Tagus River Almada Almada 35 km Waterfront Atlantic Ocean

8 13 km of beachfront Popular summertime destination (~ 8 million vistors/year)

9 Campsites on the dune fields

10 illegal housing on vulnerable and environmental sensitive areas

11 Starting point South bank of Tagus river across Lisbon urban pressure Highly populated territory (high density pop. > inhab/sq.km) Abusive occupation of high value natural areas Rich Mediterranean ecosystems at risk Vulnerable coastal and riverfront areas to sea level rise, with high tourist value (amplified by Climate Change impacts) Energy dependence (transport and building sectors)

12 Topics... a glimpse of Almada... adaptation in Almada s Strategy for Climate Change... improving resilience through territorial planning (energy ability for urbanization chart)

13 Methodology Almada s Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation Agenda energy consumption and GHGs emissions Energy efficiency, renewables, smart mobility... low carbon city... but even with drastic mitigation, accumulated CO 2 will change the climate until 2040 (climatic system inertia) Adaptation Agenda Allowing for the resilience of our natural, social and economic systems, providing our communities an healthy and safe environment to live and work.

14 Methodology Almada s Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation Agenda energy consumption and GHGs emissions Energy efficiency, renewables, smart mobility... low carbon city... but even with drastic mitigation, accumulated CO 2 will change the climate until 2040 (climatic system inertia) Adaptation Agenda Means to allow the resilience of our natural, social and economic systems, providing our communities an healthy and safe environment to live and work.

15 Methodology Almada s Strategy for Climate Change Conferência Roteiro Local para as Alterações Climáticas: Mobilizar, Planear e Agir Bonn Almada, 12 Portugal 15 May Maio 2009

16 Methodology Almada s Adaptation Strategy Adaptation in Almada s Strategy for Climate Change Climate Scenarios Monitoring climate change impacts (ex: coast fishing stocks) Vulnerability Diagnosis (coast, riverfront, ecosystems, urban water cycle, urban services), existing and afterwards Modeling Urban Heat Island Effect Design Risk Maps Definition of adaptation goals and measures Integration adaptation goals and measures in land use planning: Urban Plans and Master Plan of Almada (currently under revision)

17 Precipitação (mm) Temperatura ( o C) Almada s Climate Evolution Almada s Climate Evolution ( scenarios) Temperature - Annual mean: increases 2,5 ºC 30 - T máx Summer, Winter: rises 4,0 to 5,0 ºC 25 - Nº of Days/year with >35 ºC: Anomalia das temperaturas para em Almada +4,25 o C +5 o C +2,5 o C Variação dos modelos +4 o C Precipitation - 55% reduction in Summer precipitation - 12,5% increase in Winter precipitation - Decrease of 15 to 55% in Autumn and Spring - increase of heavy rainfall events 0 10,0 9,0 8,0 7,0 6,0 5,0 4,0 3,0 2,0 Maior temp. máx. registada Média temp. máx. Verão Média temp. diária anual Média temp. mín. Inverno Evolução da precipitação mensal com alterações climáticas ,0 0,0 Jan Fev Mar Abr Mai Jun Jul Ago Set Out Nov Dez

18 Vulnerability Diagnosis Almada s vulnerability to Natural Hazards Mass Wasting (rock falls, rock topple, landslides) Sea Level Rise (coastal erosion) Storm Surge Droughts Flooding Salinization of Coast Aquifers Fire in Forest Areas Lost of Biodiversity Earthquakes Mass Wasting Coast Erosion Tsunamis

19 Vulnerability Diagnosis Almada s Coastal System erosion reduction of costal area mass wasting salinization of coast aquifers pre-existing vulnerabilities will be amplified by climate impacts

20 Vulnerability Diagnosis Almada s Hydric System hydric erosion mass wasting Floods water scarcity pre-existing vulnerabilities will be amplified by climate impacts

21 Vulnerability Diagnosis Almada s Land System mass wasting water stress lost of biodiversity forest fire pre-existing vulnerabilities will be amplified by climate impacts

22 Urban Heat Island Residential Medium Density City Center Residential High Density Green Park Residential Low Density Conferência Roteiro Local para as Alterações Climáticas: Mobilizar, Planear e Agir Bonn Almada, 12 Portugal 15 May Maio 2009

23 Topics... a glimpse of Almada... adaptation in Almada s Strategy for Climate Change... improving resilience through land use planning (energy ability for urbanization chart)

24 Land use plans are the most strategic compulsory plans that can be develop at a local level! F2 - New approaches to resilient urban planning and design 3 levels of land use planning: Master Plan (1:10.000) Urban Plans (1:1.000) + Local Plans (1:1.000)

25 Improving resilience through land use planning Boost resilience in land use planning Multi-dimension, integrated and multi-level approach: Detail scale: integration of specific adaptive solutions (smart urban design) in the development of Local and Urban Plans (1:1.000) Municipal scale: define a global territorial adaptation strategy and establish solutions + regulations for Almada s Master Plan (1:10.000)

26 Improving resilience through land use planning Examples Adaptative Measures (Detail scale) Smart urban design to improve natural cooling and the use of solar energy in buildings Conservative average sea-level rise limits incorporated in urban design Development of urban green corridors Promotion of water infiltration and the use of permeable pavements Protection of people and property from flood risk with the construction of terrace defenses Rehabilitation of river banks with riparian vegetation Increase energy efficiency in buildings ( energy ability for building concept)

27 Example: Eastern Almada Urban Plan

28 Improving resilience through land use planning Adaptation at a Municipal scale Reviewing Almada s Master Plan Main Objective: Enhance resilience of Almada s natural, social and economic systems Set up Goals and Guidelines Define Policies and Recommendations for land use planning and management Design a new territorial map Establish new Regulations

29 Enhance resilience of natural, social and economic systems Goals and Guidelines (new Territorial Map + Regulations) Promote climate comfort Protection and enlarging the green infrastructure Integration more green corridors in urban areas (mitigate heat island effect) Preservation and protection of forest and natural areas Rehabilitation of watercourses and stream banks Creation of retention basins or wet pounds

30 Enhance resilience of natural, social and economic systems Goals and Guidelines (new Territorial Map + Regulations) Reduce territorial vulnerability Landslide in the river front Identify vulnerable and risk areas Design adaptive solutions addressing different urban services (ex: infrastructures) Habitat restoration (natural buffers) Develop urban agriculture and decentralized production, to promote food security - Enlarging rural areas - Implementation of Agricultural Parks - Protection of soil permeability

31 Agricultural Park Network

32 Enhance resilience of natural, social and economic systems Goals and Guidelines (new Territorial Model + Regulations) Reduce Almada s energy intensity Develop multifunctional urban areas (dominant function and other basic urban functions - housing, education, work, business, commerce, leisure, services) Confine urban sprawl by urban regeneration/requalification Reduce daily commuting needs and shorten the distance origindestination Improve efficiency in daily commuting and minimize cardependency (public transport and bicycle use) Define an energy building ability map Define an energy urbanization ability map

33 Energy Ability for Urbanization Map = = Slop Map identifies the slops with natural solar exposure and the ones in shadow + Sun Orientation Map identifies south facades, appropriate for edification (maximize the solar thermal gains in Winter and the cooling with natural ventilation in Summer) + Wind Map local winds and breeze favour the cooling of urban areas and buildings in Summer, mitigating heat island effect + Conferência Roteiro Local para as Alterações Climáticas: Mobilizar, Planear e Agir Bonn Almada, 12 Portugal 15 May Maio 2009 Potencial Renewables Use

34 Energy Ability for Urbanization Map = + = Potential Renewables Use Map Green and Ecological Map vegetation changes local climate (fresh and moisture) mitigating heat island effect (integration green corridors and parks in residential areas) + Urban Functions and Services Map (work, business, housing, education, commerce, facilities, leisure) shows the proximity of different urban functions and services, allowing for the evaluation of travel needs and distances + Public Transport and Cycling Network Maps Energy Ability for Building Conferência Roteiro Local para as Alterações Climáticas: Mobilizar, Planear e Agir Bonn Almada, 12 Portugal 15 May Maio 2009 preferable connections to other neighborhoods and centralities

35 Energy Ability for Urbanization Chart + = Potential Renewables Use Chart Green and Ecological Map vegetation changes local climate (fresh and moisture) mitigating heat island effect (integration green corridors and parks in residential areas) + Urban Functions and Services Chart (work, business, housing, education, commerce, facilities, leisure) shows the proximity of different urban functions and services, allowing for the evaluation of travel needs and distances + Public Transport and Cycling Network Maps Energy Ability for Building Conferência Roteiro Local para as Alterações Climáticas: Mobilizar, Planear e Agir Bonn Almada, 12 Portugal 15 May Maio 2009 preferable connections to other neighborhoods and centralities

36 Conclusions Conclusions Adapt Cities to climate change, means addressing the uncertainty of its impacts (different nature, type, magnitude) But Cities are extremely complex systems (mass, energy, momentum flows ) So, flexibility and creativity are required in any adaptation strategy (local management with a global knowledge ) Integrating adaptation in strategic urban planning is an effective way to build urban resilience, in a short term However, implies a deep transformation in urban planning practices (maybe requires a change its legal framework )

37 It is not the strongest species that survives nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change Charles Darwin, 1859 Thank you for your attention!