Getting down to business: climate resilience scenarios, strategies and actions

Over the past few years, the concept of climate resilience has established itself as a regular feature in the conceptual toolkit for builders, developers, urban planners and decision-makers’ at all levels. In France, it’s at the crossroads between two laws currently being debated: the loi Climat et resilience (Climate and resilience law) and the loi 4D (the so-called “4D” law). Applied research laboratories, manufacturers and startups are also helping bring it to life with technical and organizational solutions. In reality, it’s about adapting existing structures and preparing future constructions and infrastructure against the rise in heatwaves and flooding. With this in mind, Nicolas Beaurez, Head of Resilience-Transitions-Climate projects at Cerema, believes local councils and private construction companies now have many conceptual and technical tools at their disposal. However, action plans need to be implemented as quickly as possible – as the latest heatwaves that recently hit North America attest to the critical need to act urgently.

Here’s an overview of the techniques and reference sources based on feedback from various cities.

#Context & Concepts

Haut Conseil pour le Climat

In its 2021 annual report, the Haut Conseil pour le Climat (the French High Council on Climate) emphasizes the need to include adaptation strategies in climate policies to manage the effects of climate change in order to reduce our vulnerability. The council also calls for developing synergies for reducing global warming.

Haut Conseil pour le Climat

Territorial vulnerability and resilience

The Institut des Hautes Etudes d’Aménagement des Territoires is dedicating its annual program to the theme of resilience. Split over six sessions plus a closing event, it takes place from February to December.

IHEDATE

“Territorial resilience for staying on course for the climate transition” interim report

After eight months of research, the Territorial Resilience Strategies team at The Shift Project published their interim report in May.

Shift Project

#TOOLKIT

UN Habitat’s resource hub

The UN Habitat website features a wide range of resources, including: audit and diagnostic tools, feedback case studies, and presentations of resilience projects carried our across the globe.

Urban Resilience Hub

Resilient territories: six action points

Cerema’s toolkit features this publication from 2018, a practical guide for local councils and public players, businesses, associations and the general public.

Cerema

An architect’s perspective on the risk of flooding

In this 10-minute video, Agence Qualité Construction interviews the architect Eric-Daniel Lacombe, incumbent chair of Nouvelles urbanités face aux risques naturels: des abris ouverts (literally, “Open Shelters: urban living in the face of natural hazards”) at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de la Ville de Paris.

AQC

Résilience des territoires Wiki

Ademe has created an extensive Résilience des territoires wiki, bringing together challenges to be taken on, calls for participants for producing shared resources, stakeholder profiles… It’s a useful tool for all things resilience.

Ademe

Strengthen our cities’ resilience

Paris & Co, Mission Résilience de la Ville de Paris and Agence Parisienne du Climat have together published a practical guide aimed particularly at densely populated cities, which provides a few tools to inspire cities and communities on the matter.

Agence Parisienne du Climat

Building climate resilience evaluation

Resources, advice and services offered by Carbone 4 consultancy.

Carbone 4

Urban Nature Labs

The EU’s UNALAB project contributes to the development of smarter, more inclusive and sustainable cities by implementing nature-based solutions (NBS) that engage local stakeholders and citizens.

UE Horizon 2020