PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In Europe, cities and towns play a crucial role in responding to climate change, due to concentrations of populations and economic assets, and because local authorities perform key functions such as land use regulation or emergency planning. In terms of pluvial flooding, i.e. flooding generated locally by an overload of the urban drainage system by extreme rainfall, adaptation to climate change involves the use of green infrastructure (GI) and nature-based solutions (NBS). Pluvial flooding is considered one of the highest risks connected to climate change in the northern part of the Baltic Sea region, including Estonia and Latvia, particularly in urban areas with large impermeable surfaces. The potential economic damage is serious. In the Horizon 2020 Ramses project’s assessment of 571 European cities, those in Estonia and Latvia were considered to have high levels of vulnerability to climate change hazards. Urban drainage systems designed for historical climate regimes are expected to become less efficient or even fail completely, exacerbated by increased surface sealing, aging sewerage infrastructure and under-dimensioned pipelines. Already today, existing rainwater systems in Estonia and Latvia are not able to cope with torrential rain. Many cities in Estonia and Latvia do not even have comprehensive understanding on the whereabouts of their urban drainage systems (UDS). Neither do they have the capacity for adequate governance of the data about UDS, which is still often not available on online geographical information systems (GIS) for decision making. Estonia and Latvia will face significant changes in temperature, wind and rainfall during the next decades. The frequency of occurrence of precipitation exceeding 30 mm per day is projected to double between 2021 and 2030, in particular summer rainstorms will increase and intensify. As a result, the load on storm water collection systems and wastewater treatment will increase, and due to inadequate drainage the flooding risk in urban areas will dramatically increase.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE LATESTadapt addresses the urgent need to improve climate resilience within the territories of Baltic State local governments through effective climate change adaptation. The project will increase the resilience of Estonian and Latvian urban areas to extreme weather events, by focusing on four specific areas:
- Nature-based solutions.
- Digital change.
- Quality of planning.
- Engagement of communities and skilled enablers.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- A set of measures to help prevent, and respond to, pluvial flooding (including a pluvial flood simulation model and integrated decision-support system, and the design of nature-based solutions (NBS)) developed and tested.
- The tools and solutions developed within the project tested in 8 urban demonstration sites of Latvian and Estonian local governments. Green infrastructure (GI) and NBS operationalised in local urban municipal planning by co-created policy and management options, adoption of NBS maintenance rules, and urban greening plans.
- Area vulnerable to climate change reduced by 10.45 km2.
- Vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change reduced for 81675 people.
- 19 new construction design projects include NBS as part of technical solution triggered by the project.
- The capacity of local governments (planners, project managers and politicians) strengthened to enable them to develop and manage NBS and the urban planning of GI.
- Awareness on adaptation to climate change effects raised, and the co-creation of NBS promoted with local communities.
