City interventions for transformation towards sustainable climate resilience

Cities can implement different types of interventions to support the transformation towards sustainable climate resilience. These interventions, also called 'leverages', focus on five key areas, referred to in the resources as 'leverage points':

1. Values and goals:

• Increasing awareness and engagement in climate resilience among political leaders, officials and residents through educational campaigns, workshops and public debates.
• Promotion of sustainable lifestyles, which minimize the carbon footprint and promote climate resilience, for example through campaigns aimed at reducing energy and water consumption.
• Integration of climate resilience principles into local policies, strategies and plans, such as spatial plans, infrastructure development plans and climate change adaptation plans.

2. Management (Governance):

• Creating clear responsibilities for climate resilience within the city administration and the appointment of a coordinator for climate resilience.
• Support of cooperation and coordination between different departments of the city administration, as well as between the city and external stakeholders such as civil associations, academia and the private sector.
• Integrating climate resilience into existing planning tools and processes, such as spatial plans, environmental assessments and public procurement.
• Consideration of social inequality and justice in the planning and implementation of climate change adaptation measures, in order to ensure that vulnerable population groups are not negatively affected.
• Involvement of citizens in decision-making processes related to climate resilience through participatory methods of planning and consultation.

3. Provision and exchange of knowledge:

• Research and monitoring support impacts of climate change at the local level and identification of relevant adaptation measures.
• Creating a platform for information sharing on climate change and adaptation to climate change among different stakeholders, including residents, businesses and city administration.
• Providing professional assistance and training for city administration employees and other stakeholders in the field of climate resilience.

4. Resources and capacities:

• Ensuring sufficient financial resources for the implementation of adaptation measures, through local budgets, grants, investments and public-private partnerships.
• Investments in capacity building within the city administration and among residents, through training, mentoring and networking.
• Use of existing resources and infrastructure, such as green spaces, waterways and buildings, to support climate resilience.
• Support of innovation and technological development in the field of adaptation to climate change, for example through pilot projects and public procurement aimed at green technologies.

5. Measures:

• Implementation of a wide range of adaptation measures targeting different sectors such as water management, energy, transport, health and agriculture.
• Prioritization of measures based on local climate risks, vulnerability and available resources.
• Monitoring and evaluation of effectiveness adaptation measures and their possible adjustment based on the experience gained.
• Involvement of residents in the implementation adaptation measures, for example through community projects and volunteer activities.

It is important to emphasize that the transformation towards sustainable climate resilience requires a comprehensive and integrated approach that includes interventions at all five lever points. Successful transformation requires a long-term strategy, the cooperation of various stakeholders and the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. Co2AI