On the projects that lead to the thesis

Project 1: Analysing local climate vulnerability and local adaptation strategies (VAM)

Administrative details The first project was part of the research pro- gramme Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation (2004-2010) initiated by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The programme focused on the social and behavioural aspects of climate change, particularly with cooperation between public administration; geography; environmental economics; socio-cultural sciences; environmental law; psychology; and, other disciplines. Our project (454-04-036) initially ran along a doctoral research trajectory, but that was aborted and the project was remodelled into an ex- ploratory case study which was carried out in 2009. The aim of the remod-

Chapter 1 Introduction to the thesis

elled study was to gain insights in the motivations for local climate adaptation strategies, as well as investigating the barriers to implementing these policy plans. This was conducted using case study research in a sample of nine municipalities throughout the country.

Research approach In the selected cases studies, a maximum variation case selection was carried out. This aimed to obtain information about the significance of the variables (experience, risk and size) by selecting cases that maximally varied on each of these variables in terms of there being most or least likely (Flyvbjerg, 2006). A case selection matrix (see Chapter 2) based on the three variables was created for the selected cases throughout the country in the first study. For each of the cells, an ‘ideal type’ was defined to ease the analysis. These ideal types are referred to as ‘spectators’, ‘veterans at the front’, ‘veterans in reserve’ and ‘recruits at the front’. The selection process is explained further in Chapter 2. Table 1.1 shows the case study selection, whereas Appendix A includes a description of the various study units and their location.

Data was gathered using a pragmatic approach. The selected municipal- ities were contacted at their general phone number and requests submitted to access to the civil servant responsible for climate policy and to arrange an interview. The result was a diverse set of interviewees engaging with climate coordinators, water advisors or environmental officials (see Appendix B). The semi-structured interviews took place at the Municipal Hall and were based upon an open-ended questionnaire as presented in Appendix C. The conversa- tion was recorded in digital format and copied out in an interview report that was sent to the interviewee for a final check. These interview reports were our primary data source. In analysing the data from these reports, we focused on the storylines of each of the cases and compared these in order to identify patterns that we could relate to the variables as explained in Section 1.4. An analysis of the findings has been reported in a research report (van den Berg, 2010) and a scientific research paper. This research paper has been included as Chapter 2.

Project 2: Civil protection and climate vulnerability (CIVILCLIM) Administrative details The second project focussed on Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands (2006-2011). The project was funded by the Research Council of Norway. Its objective was to identify factors that determine the local capacity to adapt to changes in the extreme weather situation resulting from climate change. The project aimed to obtain insight into the condi- tions for long-term institutional learning by examining approaches to extreme

1.5 Methodology of the research

weather events in the recent past in an effort to prevent and mitigate dam- ages. The project was coordinated by Vestlandsforsking in Norway and was carried out by a project team consisting of researchers from Vestlandsforsk- ing, Totalf¨orsvarets Forskningsinstitut (FOI) in Sweden and CSTM from the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

Research approach This research project consisted of an embedded case study that focuses on comparing the adaptation strategies of the civil pro- tection institutions in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. The case study had a somewhat different approach than the previous study, as it was based on a deviant case study design that represented extreme cases with a maxi- mum score on the two (size and risk) of the three explanatory variables in the research; we did not select on flooding or extreme weather experience.

In the case study, the national policy discourses on adaptation and civil protection in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands were first analysed. We then homed in onto the civil protection system of a harbour city of significant national interest in the respective countries. The cities Bergen, Malm¨o and Rotterdam were selected respectively as case study units. Each national team conducted a national and local study in their country based on policy docu- ments and interviewing key informants also using an open-ended questionnaire (included in Appendix C). The Dutch team conducted the case study research on the Netherlands. This covered the safety policy domain represented by the municipality, the Safety Region and the local water board. The case study re- sults of the three cases were reported in country reports that acted as primary sources for compiling a scientific research paper on the comparative analysis. This research paper is included as Chapter 5.

Project 3: Local climate preparedness in municipalities (WAVE) Administrative details The third project was funded as part of the larger Interreg VIb project Water Adaptation is Valuable for Everybody (WAVE). WAVE combined the climate change preparations of six regional water au- thorities from the Netherlands, Germany, England, France and Belgium. The parties involved in WAVE have the responsibility to adapt water management to the changing climate. Impacts from climate change have to be taken into account in spatial development. An important question emerging from the field is how municipalities currently deal with climate change in their new neighbourhood planning. Therefore, a research project was initiated to focus on sustainable land use planning and climate proof areas, municipal disaster planning and climate change awareness. This project had a regional focus on the Dutch province of Overijssel. It was carried out in close cooperation with

Chapter 1 Introduction to the thesis

representatives from the province and two water boards who were motivated to learn about local motivations for taking up the issue of adaptation. The project was largely carried out in 2010 and 2011.

Research approach The project consisted of various steps to generate in- sights into the driving and hindering factors for policy-making on adaptation. A desk study analysis of the relevant policies in the 25 Overijssel municipalities and a digital web-based survey was conducted (82% response rate). Further research elements included a practitioner workshop; case study research; and, a final report targeting the province and the two Water Boards which included policy recommendations to enhance the level of local adaptation in these areas. Of most relevance to the thesis was the multiple case study of a sample of Dutch municipalities based on a maximum variation case selection that - simi- lar to the first case study - aimed to obtain information about the significance of the variables size, probability and experience by selected cases that max- imally varied on each of these variables in terms of whether they were most or least likely (Flyvbjerg, 2006). Five municipalities were selected as cases units throughout the province for a comparative case study analysis of the cli- mate change considerations in their new neighbourhood planning. Appendix A includes the location and brief descriptions of the selected study units. For each of the cases, several respondents were interviewed from the water, envi- ronmental and spatial planning angles (as opposed to the case study in the first project that included one or two respondents who were more generally involved in climate policy). An overview of the interviews is recorded in Ap- pendix B, whereas Appendix C contains the open-ended questionnaire used. Several research reports were delivered on the research results. The project was concluded in early 2012 with a final report including policy recommenda- tions (van den Berg & Coenen, 2012a). In addition, a scientific research paper was delivered that is included as Chapter 4.