CLISP: Climate Change Adaptation by Spatial Planning in the Alpine Space

Project lead

Marco Pütz

Project staff

Michael Bründl

Project duration

2008 - 2033

Financing

Project Framework

Climate change and its related impacts are strongly affecting land use and land use development. In its Green Paper "Adaptation to climate change in Europe - options for EU action" the European Commission points out the potential of spatial planning to define cost-effective adaptation measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change and emphasizes its “key role for awareness-raising among the public, decision makers and professionals as well as for triggering a more proactive approach at all levels”.

CLISP is a European project funded by the Alpine Space Programme under the European Territorial Cooperation 2007-2013. CLISP started in September 2008 and will run until September 2011. The Lead Partner is the Umweltbundesamt GmbH / Federal Environment Agency Austria. The partnership is composed of 14 Project Partners from Austria (6), Italy (3), Germany (1), Slovenia (1), Switzerland (2) and the Principality of Liechtenstein (1) and includes international organisations, national and regional government authorities, national agencies, provinces / regions, research institutions and institutes of applied sciences.

CLISP is focused on the challenges to spatial planning in the face of climate change and shall contribute to climate change adaptation by providing climate-proof spatial planning solutions. CLISP is committed to positioning spatial planning as a key player for future sustainable development under the adversities of climate change.

Objectives 

Main objectives are:

  • to analyse the "climate change fitness" of current spatial planning systems by evaluating legal and institutional frameworks and instruments (e.g. regional development programmes & plans, land-use plans).
  • to prevent and avoid adverse climate change impacts, damages and costs on regional and local level by providing "climate proof" spatial planning solutions as a substantial basis for future sustainable territorial development in the Alps.

Research Questions

Are the spatial planning systems in the Alpine countries fit for this important position assigned by the European Commission? What are the weaknesses and what are the strengths of our instruments in the face of climate change? What potential lies within spatial planning? How can we better adapt to climate change risks? Are our instruments sufficient? How can we improve our existing instruments?

Analysis

  • Determining common transnational evaluation criteria for assessing the climate change fitness of spatial planning systems
  • Reviewing the spatial planning systems in the Alpine countries with regard to their climate change adaptation and mitigation capacities
  • In-depth evaluation of relevant spatial planning instruments and procedures in model regions regarding their capability in coping with climate change impacts
  • Identifying enhancement options for spatial planning systems and best practice examples of climate proof planning activities
  • Elaborating a climate change „fitness“ assessment tool for self-evaluation of Alpine regions and municipalities 

Results 

Assessing the Climate Change Fitness of Spatial Planning: A Guidance for Planners.

Publications

  • Pütz, M.,Kruse, S. (2014) Climate change fitness of spatial planning in the Alpine Space. In: Climate Adaptation Manual. Lessons learned from European and other industrialized countries. Edited by Prutsch, A., McCallum, S., Grothmann, T., Swart, R., Schauser, I., Routledge, London.
     
  • Kruse, S., Pütz, M. (2014) Adaptive capacities of spatial planning in the context of climate change in the European Alps, European Planning Studies. Vol. 22, No. 12, 2620–2638.
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S., Butterling, M. (2011): Assessing the Climate Change Fitness of Spatial Planning: A Guidance for Planners. ETC Alpine Space Project CLISP. 42 p. (also available in German, Italian and Slovenian).
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S., Butterling, M. (2011): CLISP Climate Change Fitness Checklist. ETC Alpine Space Project CLISP. 7 p.
  • Kruse, S., Pütz, M., Butterling, M. (2011): CLISP Climate Change Fitness Assessment Criteria. ETC Alpine Space Project CLISP. 5 p.
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S., Casanova, E., Butterling, M. (2011): Climate Change Fitness of Spatial Planning. WP5 Synthesis Report. ETC Alpine Space Project CLISP. 116 p. (+ Annex 176 p.)
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S. (2011): Governance der Klimaanpassung: Zur Anpassungsfähigkeit der Raumplanung im Alpenraum. In: Frommer, B., Buchholz, F., Böhm, H.R. (Hrsg.): Anpassung an den Klimawandel – regional umsetzen! Ansätze zur Climate Adaptation Governance unter der Lupe. München: oekom verlag. 61-78.
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S. (2011): Regional Governance der Klimaanpassung – Wie anpassungsfähig ist die Raumplanung im Alpenraum? In: Egli, H. (Hrsg.): Forschungsmarkt regiosuisse und Tagung Regionalentwicklung 2010. Tagungsband. Arbeitsbericht IBR 002/2011. Luzern. 13-24.  
  • Pütz, M., Kruse, S. (2011): Klimaanpassung im Alpenraum. In: Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL (Hrsg.): Jahresbericht 2010. 14-15.
  • Kruse, S., Truong, J., Pütz, M. (2009): Klimaanpassung als Herausforderung für die Stadtplanung. forum raumentwicklung, 3: 28-30. [L'adaptation climatique, un défi pour l'aménagement urbain. Forum du développement territorial 3: 61-63]

Project Team

WSL, Research Group Regional Economics and Development

  • Marco Pütz (Project Leader)
  • Sylvia Kruse
  • Jasmine Truong (2009)
     

WSL-SLF, Research Group Risk Management

  • Michael Bründl
     

Esther Casanova Raumplanung, Chur

  • Esther Casanova

Links

Research Projects and Initiatives

  • IRG-Project Integrated Risk Governance Project (IHDP Pilot Science Project) >>>
  • UGEC Urbanization and Global Environmental Change (IHDP Core Project) >>>
  • BaltCICA Climate Change: Impacts, Costs and Adaptation in the Baltic Sea Region (Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013) >>>
  • ASTRA Developing Policies & Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region (Interreg IIIB Baltic Sea Region) >>>
  • ESPACE European Spatial Planning: Adapting to Climate Events (Interreg IIIB North West Europe) >>>
  • KLIMZUG Regions adapt to climate change (BMBF FONA Research for Sustainability) >>>
  • MORO Raumentwicklungsstrategien zum Klimawandel (BBSR) >>>
  • AIACC Assessments of Impacts and Adaptations to Climate Change in Multiple Regions and Sectors >>>
  • CIRCLE Climate Impact Research Coordination for a larger Europe (FP6) >>>
  • ADAM Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy (European Commission, FP6) >>>
  • MIDIR Multidimensional Integrated Risk Governance (European Commission, FP6) >>>
  • KLIFF-IMPLAN Klimafolgenforschung – Szenarien für die Klimaanpassung in Niedersachsen (KLIFF), "IMplementierung von Ergebnissen aus KLIFF in der räumlichen PLANung in Niedersachsen (IMPLAN)“ >>>
  • ARL-Arbeitskreis "Klimawandel und Raumplanung" >>>
  • AdaptAlp Adaptation to Climate Change in the Alpine Space (Interreg IVB Alpine Space Programme) >>>
  • PermaNet Longterm Permafrost Monitoring Network (Interreg IVB Alpine Space Programme) >>>
  • AlpWaterScarce Water Management Strategies against Water Scarcity in the Alps (Interreg IVB Alpine Space Programme) >>>
  • ClimAlpTour Climate Change and its Impact on Tourism in the Alpine Space (Interreg IVB Alpine Space Programme) >>>
     
  • ClimChalp Climate Change, Impacts and Adaptation Strategies in the Alpine Space (Interreg IIIB Alpine Space Programme) >>>
  • KLIWA (Klimaänderung und Wasserwirtschaft) Climate change and consequences for water management (DWD, LfU, BLfW) >>>
  • KLARA-Net Netzwerk zur Klima-Adaption in der Region Starkenburg >>>

Activities in Switzerland

  • OcCC Advisory Board on Climate Change >>>
  • Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE > Alpine Convention >>>
  • Federal Office for the Environment FOEN > Climate >>>
  • Climate Alliance Switzerland >>>
     
  • ProClim- Forum for Climate Change (Forum of the Swiss Academy of Sciences)  >>> 
  • NCCR Climate, Swiss Climate Research >>>
  • Swiss Alpine Studies (ICAS) >>>
  • MRI Mountain Research Initiative >>>
  • PLANAT National Platform for Natural Hazards >>>

Living with Climate Change in Europe

  • Information and documents about the European Commission's policy for adaptation measures and policies to reduce the European Union's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change >>>
     
  • White Paper "Adapting to climate change" (April 2009) >>>