Citizen participation in climate adaptation

Citizen participation in climate adaptation is a research project of the professorship Sustainable Water Systems.

The issue

Standards and/or acceptance limits for rainfall, heat and drought in urban areas are increasingly being exceeded as a result of climate change. Municipalities and water authorities are tasked with ensuring climate-adaptive planning and development. Collaboration with local inhabitants is an essential part of this process. In order to take steps towards implementation, municipalities and water authorities need to know about: (1) impacts at the micro level (streets/buildings), (2) local citizen experiences, and (3) how citizens can be involved in the measures.

The project

The aim is to develop a practicable method for citizen participation in climate adaptation. The research will be conducted in five cities, including Leeuwarden, using various approaches from citizen science. Professionals and local inhabitants will jointly carry out measurements (participatory monitoring), collect data on physical and social vulnerability in a short period of time and develop measures.

Deliverables

The result will be a practicable method for citizen participation in climate adaptation.

Professor: Peter van der Maas, Sustainable Water Systems
Project duration: 2019 – 2021
Project partners: HZ University of Applied Sciences, Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, Van Hall Larenstein, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, municipalities of Leeuwarden, Groningen, Rotterdam, Vlissingen and Middelburg, Wetterskip Fryslân, Waterschap Noorderzijlvest

This research is co-financed by the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).