Introduction Projects | Publications

Human and natural systems will, to some degree, adapt autonomously to climate change. Planned adaptation imply decisions and measures within society that help to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change. On the other hand adaptation also has the potential to realise new economic opportunities. Though, many climate-sensitive decisions are directly driven by the need to reduce or otherwise manage anticipated climate risks (Willows & Connel, 2003). The acceptable risks are determined to which risk a society or economy wish to accept or to pay for precautionary measures. As a result major differences can be found between countries.

Results Adaptation projects

Climate versatile predictions of changes in vegetation – A01
The A01 project developed a new vegetation model, the so-called PROBE approach. In combination with NHI, it models plant traits, functional characteristics of vegetation in order to link environmental conditions (climate, soil and hydrology) to vegetation composition. By the inclusion of this functional link, climate versatile vegetation pre-dictions can be made: National maps were created with predictions
for the changes in the number of endangered species across NL.
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Adaptation of the Dutch Ecological Network – A02
This project studied the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, focussing on the possible interaction with habitat fragmentation. This fragmentation slows down or blocks the colonization toward suitable climate zones, which shift due to climate change. Species' sensitivity can be measured, as species traits are useful indicators. Furthermore, several adaptation measures were developed, which were proposed to be concentrated in 'climate adaptation zones'. Download the synthesis
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Adaptations in the NCP (Netherlands Continental Shelf) – A06
Within A06 extensive measurement has been done on the North Sea. Analysis of the results shows what the consequences of climate change are for fishery and protected areas. The direct consequences of climate change (wind, temp. and CO2 concentration) lead to changes in the composition of seawater and a decrease in productivity of organisms living on the bottom of the sea. This results in lowered productivity, including some commercially fished species.
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Developing Adaptive Capacity to Extreme events in the Rhine
basin (ACER) - A07
The goal of the ACER project was to assess the consequences of climate change and adaptation strategies for the entire Rhine catchment, including Germany and France. ACER employs a scenarioanalysis to analyse and compare effects and solutions. A group of international stakeholders and water management officials from different governmental layers are involved in the project. Read one of the articles or the project final report.
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Climate change impacts on inland transport systems - A08
In A08 research has been done concerning climate change and the transport sector. Multiple dissertations (sabir, demirel) and articles have been produced. Results show that (1) by changing discharge river transport prices will rise, (2) concerning passenger transport commuting and business transport will be least affected, (3) travel time will increase due to more extreme weather conditions and (4) that climate affects modal choice for all types of travel.
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Financial arrangements for disaster losses under climate
change – A09
In this project adaptation strategies are developed and evaluated. These strategies are based on a system of insurance against risk and damage caused by extreme weather in The Netherlands. The projects researches how such strategies can be made complementary with measures in water management. The study ´Aandacht voor Veiligheid´ (attention for safety) is an important part of this project.
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Hotspot tryout project - A10a
The goal of this completed project was to work out practical cases where climate, adaptation and land use play major roles. The
developed adaptation strategies for these cases would have to lead implementation of the developed vision on the long term time scale.
The areas where this coming together of climate, adaptation and land use is studied are named Hotspots. The Hotspot approach is applied in CcSP and CfC, its success is internationally recognized.

Routeplanner Reports 2010-2050 - A11
This project has, among other CcSP projects, contributed to the Routeplanner (the scientific branch of the ARK programme). The main conclusion of the Routeplanner project is that climate change can cause considerable damage to The Netherlands. Therefore, The Netherlands have to made climate-proof, and needs to get experience with integrated approaches, due to the administrative complexity of many of the adaptation options.
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How can agriculture adept to changes of both climate and
market; NL-North as a pilot region – A12
In A12 a literature study has been done to assess the impact of market and climatic changes up to 2050 on agriculture in Europe. This has been assessed under two climate-market scenarios for potato, grain and milk production. It was determined that agriculture in the Northern Netherlands can persevere despite changes in market and a rise in temperature and CO2. There is continuation of research in A21.
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Aandacht voor Veiligheid - A13
The Safety First project (in Dutch Aandacht voor Veiligheid, or AVV) investigated how long-term changes in climate, land use, governance and socio-economic trends will affect flood safety in The Netherlands. The project developed a decision support system (DSS) that uses maps and images to show how spatial adaptation responses can
make The Netherlands climate-proof on the long term. Furthermore, this project has contributed to the report of the Veerman Committee.
Read the final report (in Dutch) and visit the adaptation website.
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Hotspot Zuidplaspolder - A14
Effects of climate change in this Hotspot will mainly be long periods of draught, leading to fresh water shortage (salinization). Using the KNMI'06 climate scenario's the effects of climate change are mapped. Council for the current developments in the area has been given. For the future development in the Hotspot a budget of 24 million euros is available for measures which make the Zuidplaspolder sustainable and climate-proof. Final report
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Hotspot Tilburg- A16
The city of Tilburg is already working on reducing CO2 emissions. Adaptation to climate change, however, was put on the agenda more recently. The region of Tilburg, 14 meters above sea level, will also be confronted with the effects of climate change. Research has been done how Tilburg can become climate neutral, which consequences climate change has and what organisational structure fits best with a climate programme.
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Dialogue climate change and cities - A17
Project A17 organises dialogue about the consequences of climate change in the city by gathering relevant parties in expert meetings. In several municipalities adaptation projects have been started as a result. Some of those projects will be further worked out in the second phase of the project. In the final phase the resulting knowledge will be described in four scientific papers. The project will also develop an inspirational book about climate adaptation in urban area.
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Hotspot Groningen - A18
This project is dedicated to apply the in CcSP developed knowledge in spatial planning on the scale of the province. At the end of 2009 this project has been completed successfully. The most optimal adaptation strategies have been investigated regarding the themes water supply, coastal defense, nature, agriculture and energy. Two scenario's, titled 'opgeven' (give up) and 'volhouden' (keep up) sketch what the two extremes of a climate-proof future look like. Download report.
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Climate and Agriculture in Northern Netherlands - A21
In phase 2 of the project (see A12 for phase 1) impacts of extremes in weather have been assessed for fifteen crops in the current situation, 2040 and 2100. The research highlights specific weather extremes which are detrimental and will occur more often. In phase 3 the agricultural situation of several areas has been examined more closely. In adaptation workshops the results of the research have been discussed with stakeholders in the area. Read more
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Hotspot Rijnenburg - A22
A photograph of participants working with the Sustainable Design tool The Hotspot Rijnenburg project has bundled knowledge concerning climate adaptation and mitigation for developing the residential area Rijnenburg. The view which was formed during a charrette was
spatially translated and agreed with by the board of Rijnenburg. Subsequently the building blocks from the charrette were developed further and the (un)successful factors in the knowledge transfer were determined.
contact | publications | project description

Objectives

The CcSP programme introduces a ‘climate proofing’ approach for adaptation. Climate proofing does not mean reducing climate based risks to zero; an unrealistic goal for any country. The idea is to use a combination of infrastructural, institutional, social and financial adaptation strategies to reduce risk and optimalise opportunities for large scale innovations to a quantified level accepted by society (Kabat et al., 2005). Projects are realised in a multidisciplinary network jointly assessing impacts and developing adaptation strategies. Climate scenarios developed under theme Climate scenarios and evaluation techniques under theme Integration are an important input.

Special focus will be paid to climate proofing:

The Rhine river basin: CcSP develops a coupled atmospheric-hydrological model describing both the energy and water balance for the whole Rhine basin.
The coastal zone (including housing and infrastructure): CcSP research aims to improve the implementation of long-term policy regarding flood protection in the coastal zone.
The rural area: The CcSP programme explores at national and regional scale the opportunities and risks of adaptation to climate change in the rural area for agriculture and the national ecological network with special attention to multi-functional land use.
The National Ecological Network (ecosystems and nature conservation): CcSP research aims to improve our understanding about the resilience of the EHS taking into account the effects of climate change on meta populations, habitat distribution and land use change.
Three risk groups can be defined (Cormont, 2006):
1. Species that will disappear under all climate scenario’s;
2. Species for which the Netherlands will become suitable due to climate change but landscape fragmentation is too high to shift to the North;
3. Species vulnerable for extreme weather events.
The North Sea: CcSP aims to enhance the complex relationships between marine food chains, abiotic factors such as nutrient loading, anthropogenic influences and climate change by developing indicators of ecosystem performance.
Transport: CcSP aims to do develop different adaptation strategies for the transport sector (freight and passengers) under different climate scenario’s (project A8). Impacts will be identified, also based upon research in other countries, and used to estimate the implications for generalised costs of transport under various climate change scenario’s.
Financial arrangements (i.e. insurance as adaptation): The general approach followed within the CcSP programme is to develop sets of financial arrangements for flood related risk sharing in the Netherlands that take climate change into account.
Practically orientated projects (for adaptation).

In a latter stage also projects will be commissioned regarding urban planning, tourism, recreation and human health.

Projects

A01 - Biodiversity in a changing environment: predicting spatio-temporal dynamics of vegetation
A02 - Strategies for optimizing the nature conservation potential of the Dutch Ecological Network (EHS) and the surrounding multifunctional farm landscape under predicted climate change
A06 - Climate related shifts in the NCP (Netherlands Continental Shelf) ecosystem and consequences for future spatial planning
A07 - Developing Adaptive Capacity to Extreme events in the Rhine Basin (ACER)
A08 - Spatial choice, transport and environmental consequences
A09 - Financial arrangements for disaster losses under climate change
A10 - Hotspots project
A11 - Routeplanner 2010-2050
A12 - How can agriculture adap to changes of both climate & market; definition study
A13 - The Coastal Zone
A14 - Zuidplaspolder Hotspot
A16 - Tilburg Hotspot
A17 - Dialogue climate studies and cities
A18 - Groningen Hotspot
A19 - Determining adaptive capacity of agriculture in The Netherlands to climate changes under different market and policy scenario's
A21 - Climate and Agriculture in Northern-Netherlands

Look at the Project Overview for a detailed description

Introduction Projects | Publications

Results Adaptation projects

Objectives

Projects

Delta's in times of climate change

KvR Publicatie 'Hotspot Definition Study'