Abstract
Cities face a number of climatic and non-climatic challenges, many of which will interact to present serious risks to livelihoods, quality of life and safety within the urban environment. Cities in the UK are beginning to build stakeholder networks, assess their vulnerabilities, set their strategic direction and plan, and in some cases, implement adaptation measures. These measures are rarely motivated by climate change concerns alone. We suggest that adaptation requires an integrated approach in which infrastructure enables climate resilient lifestyles rather than merely offering temporary protection. More emphasis is needed on the social context of vulnerability and resilience. Many cities are making good progress in mainstreaming adaptation into their systems and plans. We present two caricatures of future cities and use this image to argue that it is also important for cities to consider more transformational change.
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Notes
- 1.
- 2.
 See Brent Climate Change Strategy documents, particularly the Supporting Evidence, Consultation and Strategy documents, available at: http://www.brent.gov.uk/stratp.nsf/Pages/Related%20strategies%20and%20policies?OpenDocument&pid=900067
- 3.
 There is a developing literature on the social impacts of climate change and social context to vulnerability and adaptation, see for example the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Climate Change and Social Justice Programme (Available at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/work/workarea/climate-change-and-social-justice)
- 4.
 Including the London Development Agency, Transport for London, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and Metropolitan Police Authority, as well as water suppliers, local businesses and local discussion forums.
- 5.
 Both Leeds and Newcastle form part of the ‘Core Cities’ group, a network of England’s major regional cities that aim to ensure that national and regional policy takes account of ‘on the ground’ realities, including climate change (see http://www.corecities.com/)
- 6.
 Including the Greater London Authority, London Development Agency, London Collaborative, London Councils as well as the (national) Energy Saving Trust and Environment Agency.
- 7.
 Criteria include: most vulnerable to the urban heat island effect under extreme summer temperatures; current street tree density; areas of multiple deprivation, air and noise quality and areas of deficiency for access to nature.
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Benzie, M., Harvey, A., Miller, K. (2011). Adaptation in UK Cities: Heading in the Right Direction?. In: Otto-Zimmermann, K. (eds) Resilient Cities. Local Sustainability, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0785-6_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0785-6_24
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