Anna Bilska
Embedding resilience of urban areas to climate change: a case study of Rotterdam Urban Development Issues, vol. 56, 59–68. DOI: 10.2478/udi-2018-0007
Keywords: urban resilience, climate change, embedding, social relations, Roterdam
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ABSTRACT
Climate change may have severe consequences for urban areas and many cities, such as those situated on deltas, are already threatened. The paper claims that the solution for endangered areas is the embedding of urban climate resilience. The concept of resilience is put forward to bring a broad perspective to a city with an indication that the city is a complex system with developed relations, both inward and outward. Social and institutional aspects of these relations are highlighted as they have the highest potential to make the city resilient. The paper indicates three fundamental features of embedding the resilience of urban areas to climate change: network building, a strategic approach and implementing urban projects. A practical application of these fundamental features is evaluated using the case study of Rotterdam. The research shows the reliability of these bases and indicates key characteristics of each fundamental feature: the network should be multidimensional with solid institutional and interpersonal relations, the strategy should have a holistic approach and project implementation needs the engagement of all the city actors.
Climate change may have severe consequences for urban areas and many cities, such as those situated on deltas, are already threatened. The paper claims that the solution for endangered areas is the embedding of urban climate resilience. The concept of resilience is put forward to bring a broad perspective to a city with an indication that the city is a complex system with developed relations, both inward and outward. Social and institutional aspects of these relations are highlighted as they have the highest potential to make the city resilient. The paper indicates three fundamental features of embedding the resilience of urban areas to climate change: network building, a strategic approach and implementing urban projects. A practical application of these fundamental features is evaluated using the case study of Rotterdam. The research shows the reliability of these bases and indicates key characteristics of each fundamental feature: the network should be multidimensional with solid institutional and interpersonal relations, the strategy should have a holistic approach and project implementation needs the engagement of all the city actors.
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Boer, F. (2014) Benthemplein: an exciting combination of greenery, recreation and water storage, DELTA Rotterdam. Connecting water with opportunities, 8–10.
CDC (2013) Resilient cities and climate adaptation strategies.
Available from: http://www.rotterdamclimateinitiative.nl/documents/Documenten/CDC_volume_3_Resilient_Cities_and_Climate_Adaptation_Strategies.pdf [accessed: 30.08.2017].
de Graaf, R. & van der Brugge, R. (2010) Transforming water infrastructure by linking water management and urban renewal in Rotterdam, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 77, 1282–1291.
Desouza, K. C. & Flanery T. H. (2013) Designing, planning, and managing resilient cities: A conceptual framework, Cities, 35, 89–99.
Dieleman H. (2013) Organizational learning for resilient cities, through realizing eco-cultural innovations, Journal of Cleaner Production, 50, 171–180.
Dircke, P., Moleneer, A. & Aerts J. (2012) Climate adaptation and flood management in the city of Rotterdam, [in:] J. Aerts, W. Botzen, M. J. Bowman, P. J. Ward & P. Dircke, eds., Climate adaptation and flood risk in coastal cities, Earthscan, New York, 305–320.
Eraydin, A. & Tasan-Kok, T. (2013) Resilience thinking in urban planning, Springer, Dordrecht, Heidelberg, New York, London.
Granovetter, M. (1985) Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness, American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), 481–510.
Holling, C. S. (1973) Resilience and stability of ecological systems, Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 4, 1–23. IABR (2014) Urban by nature. Experiencing the flow of the city. Available from: http://issuu.com/gewoonbob/docs/iabr_2014_kaart_en_tekstzijde/1 [accessed: 03.08.2017].
IPCC (2014) Climate change 2014. Synthesis Report. A report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Available from: http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/ [accessed: 10.01.2018].
Lu, P. & Stead, D. (2013) Understanding the notion of resilience in spatial planning: A case study of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Cities, 35, 200–212.
Nowell, B. & Steelman, T. (2014) Communication under Fire: The Role of Embeddedness in the Emergence and Efficacy of Disaster Response Communication Networks, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 1, 1–24. DOI: 10.1093/jopart/muu021.
OECD (2010) Cities and Climate Change, OECD Publishing.
Pike A., Dawley S., Tomaney J. (2010) Resilience, adaptation and adaptability, Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 3, 59–70.
Pisano, U. (2012) Resilience and sustainable development: theory of resilience, systems thinking and adaptive governance, ESDN Quarterly Report No 26. Available from: http://www.sd-network.eu/quarterly%20reports/report%20files/pdf/2012-September-Resilience_and_Sustainable_Development.pdf [accessed: 27.09.2017].
Port of Rotterdam (n.d.) CO2 footprint Port of Rotterdam Authority.
Available from: http://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/Port/port-ingeneral/Documents/201309ID-FS016-CO2%20FOOTPRINT-E.PDF [accessed: 12.07.2017].
Rotterdam Resilience Strategy (2016). Available from: http://www.resilientrotterdam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/strategy-resilient-rotterdam.pdf [accessed: 01.10.2017].
Sendzimir Foundation (2015) Sustainable Development Applications Series 5/2015 (Water In The City), Krakow.
Stead, D. (2014) Urban planning, water management and climate change strategies: adaptation, mitigation and resilience narratives in the Netherlands, International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 21, 1, 15–27.
Thompson-Dyck, K., Mayer, B., Freeman Anderson, K. Galaskiewicz, J. (2016) Bringing People Back In: Crisis Planning and Response Embedded in Social Contexts, [in:] Y. Yamagata & H. Maruyama, eds., Urban Resilience. A Transformative Approach, Springer, 279–293. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-39812-9.
UN (2014) World urbanization prospects, The United Nations, New York.
UN-Habitat (n.d.) Resilience. Available from: http://unhabitat.org/urban-themes/resilience/ [accessed: 15.09.2017].
UNISDR (2013) Making cities resilient: summary for policymakers.
A global snapshot of how local governments reduce disaster – April 2013.
Available from: http://www.preventionweb.net/files/33059_33059finalprinterversionexecutivesu.pdf [accessed: 01.09.2017].
Urbanisten (2014) Watersquare Benthemplein. Available from: http://www.urbanisten.nl/wp/?portfolio=waterplein-benthemplein [accessed: 12.07.2017].
Vale, L.J. (2014) The politics of resilient cities: whose resilience and whose city?, Building Research & Information, 42 (2), 191–201.