Reading guide for research and knowledge providers

Research and knowledge providers

Why is urban adaptation an important research field?

In this Report:

• Section 2.1 of Chapter 2, Climate change is a systemic challenge for cities, describes the need for innovation in cities and their transformation, which in turn entails the need for new knowledge.
• Chapter 2, section 2.2, Climate change is happening and affects cities in multiple ways, describes existing knowledge and capacity gaps and the importance of knowledge creation for urban adaption action with respect to climate change impacts.
• Section 3.2 of chapter 3, Transformational adaptation: a systemic approach turning challenges into opportunities, illustrates which knowledge gaps exist in relation to transformative action.

Further resources:

The EEA report, National Adaptation Policy Processes in European Countries (EEA Report 4/2014), points to the need for awareness building and knowledge generation as key topics for adaptation planning and implementation.

The EEA report, Urban Adaptation to Climate Change in Europe (EEA Report 2/2012), discusses the need for local actors to access and understand scientific knowledge (Chapter 3), and on the need for multilevel knowledge (Chapter 4).

How can research support urban adaptation?

In this Report:

• Chapter 3, The road to adapt and transform cities into attractive, climate-resilient and sustainable places, illustrates approaches that offer solutions to enable the transformation of cities into resilient cities, ensuring economic growth and quality of life.
• The vision of a transformation is illustrated in Box 3.3 The vision: living in attractive, climate-resilient and sustainable cities of tomorrow — turning challenges into opportunities.
• Section 5.2 of Chapter 5, Building the adaptation knowledge base and awareness, provides insight into knowledge needs and capacity gaps with respect to transformative adaptation. 

Further resources:

Section 2.2 of the EEA report, National Adaptation Policy Processes in European Countries (EEA Report 4/2014), points to the importance of knowledge for informing climate action.  

What can research activity provide to local adaptation?

In this Report:

• Section 5.2 of Chapter 5, Building the adaptation knowledge base and awareness, describes the type of knowledge currently available as well as existing knowledge gaps.
• Section 5.2.2 of Chapter 5, Current state of awareness, knowledge creation, accessibility and take-up, points to regional or typological differences between cities that require different knowledge strategies, as well as to differences in awareness and take-up of knowledge.
• The part on Knowledge sharing points to forms of knowledge generation and transmission that can be applied by cities, highlighting, inter alia, the role of activities that translate knowledge into useful information and the importance of knowledge co-generation. 

Further resources:

Chapter 3 of the EEA report, Overview of climate change adaptation platforms in Europe (EEA Technical Report 5/2015), provides guidelines for the presentation of knowledge in platforms, as well as good examples.   

Where can I find inspiring examples?

In this Report:

• The part of chapter 5 dedicated to knowledge generation provides some examples on the successful transmission and co-generation of knowledge. For example, Box 5.8, An NGO raising awareness about the needs of local authorities, Box 5.10, Examples of knowledge from EU-financed research and Table 5.10 provide an overview of existing European knowledge platforms that make knowledge on urban adaptation challenges available.
•  Box 5.13, Making the UKCIP Adaptation Wizard useful for Portuguese cities, provides an example of a research activity that takes knowledge and guidance tools used in the UK context and translates them to the needs of Portuguese local authorities. 

Further resources:

In the section dedicated to knowledge, the Climate-ADAPT platform provides an overview of important research projects and existing guidance tools.  

Where are the gaps where further support is needed?

In this Report:

The final sections 5.1.3, 5.2.3, 5.3.3, 5.4.3 and 5.5.3 of Chapter 5 point to specific knowledge needs related to new, transformative strategies for urban adaptation, which will require innovative forms of governance, knowledge generation, and new strategies for planning and implementing adaptation, economic tools and points to important knowledge needs and capacity gaps with respect to the efficient use of monitoring as a means for improving policies.