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

Project lead

Marco Pütz

Project staff

Michael Bründl

Project duration

2008 - 2033

Financing

Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

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]