Dorthe Hedensted Lund

Climate change adaptation in Denmark: enhancement through collaboration and meta-governance?

This article investigates how Danish municipalities adapt to climate change and how added value can be achieved by a change of governance modes. The article is based on a quantitative survey, a qualitative analysis of 10 municipal climate change adaptation strategies, and interviews with planners from five municipalities. The study shows that adaptation is rather narrowly defined to mainly be about water management and that adaptation planning and implementation takes place in technical departments in the municipalities. Cross-sector collaboration is limited, and so is the involvement of citizens and external resources. This articles argues that increased collaboration and meta-governance is called for to aid the municipalities in their efforts and open collaboration venues with, for example, professionals from other sectors, researchers, citizens, and companies whose resources have not yet been fully involved, and to stimulate inter-municipal and cross-sectoral collaboration in order to produce adaptation measures with added value.

Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Planning in African Cities: The CLUVA Project

Resilience of urban structures towards impacts of a changing climate is one of the emerging tasks that cities all over the world are facing at present. Effects of climate change take many forms, depending on local climate, spatial patterns, and socioeconomic structures. Cities are only just beginning to be aware of the task, and some time will pass before it is integrated into mainstream urban governance. This chapter is based on work in progress. It covers urban governance and planning aspects of climate change adaptation as studied in the CLUVA project (CLimate change and Urban Vulnerability in Africa), as well as some experiences from Denmark. Focus is on the responses and capacities of urban authorities, strengths and weaknesses of the efforts, data needs and possible ways forward. The chapter concludes that many adaptation activities are taking place in the CLUVA case cities, but that they need integration at city level to form strategic adaptation plans. A combined rational and pragmatic approach is advisable as is involvement of stakeholders in the production of relevant knowledge.

Towards Climate Change Resilient Cities in Africa – Initiating Adaptation in Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa

The chapter explores the possibilities and barriers for integrating climate change adaptation into urban development and planning in the case study cities of Dar es Salaam and Addis Ababa. It identifies adaptation measures in collaboration with stakeholders that are meaningful and need urgent attention across various parts of the urban governance system and discusses possible pathways towards increased city resilience.

Metagovernance of the national park process in Denmark

Taking departure in theories about metagovernance of governance networks this article investigates the process of establishing national parks in Denmark in relation to the following empirical questions: what was the rationale for metagovernance? How was metagovernance exercised? What was accomplished? From the case study it can be concluded that the process was metagoverned through a number of strategies. Even if metagovernance of the governance networks contributed to a better understanding of the interests at stake, a key issue regarding the use of natural resources remains how to weigh interests of different strengths when consensus cannot be obtained. Metagovernance of the national park process did not solve this issue. The case confirms that metagovernance is a balancing act; there are many things to consider, not least is it important to ensure transparency.

Wider Theoretical Debates on Urban Sustainability Governance

Cities produce many of the environmental challenges that societies all over the world face. They are great consumers of energy, of food, of water, and of land. They are also great producers of waste, including air pollutants, CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and the like. As such they have a great impact on ecosystems and on the conditions for human and non-human life. But they are also crucial for economic growth, for innovation, and for employment in national economies. It is therefore in cities that governance for sustainability may find its most fertile soil and if successful will have its greatest effect. But what type of governance promotes sustainable urban development? This chapter addresses some of the elements in an urban transition towards sustainability first, after which three governance paradigms are considered – traditional public administration, new public management, and new public governance/network governance – and their advantages and disadvantages in terms of sustainability, drawing mainly on Nordic examples and the Western literature on governance. The point is to provide theoretical as well as practical inspiration for Chinese cities. The chapter concludes that the prospects for sustainable urban governance will depend on the ability of cities to choose appropriate governance paradigms and associated tools for the tasks involved.

Solar Tree (Out of competition)

The combination of art, green energy and environment was the motivation for building a “solar tree”. The tree consists of a mechanical basis built of construction steel surrounded by the wood of a real tree. The branches of a real tree, fixed to the trunk are holding seven big artificial leaves. On top of them, we mounted solar cells, which are capable of delivering energy to a power outlet, installed in the trunk of the tree. On a sunny day, the guests of Roskilde Festival 2010, can expect around 150 W to charge their mobile phones, shave, cool beer, etc.