REGKLAM - Development and Testing of an Integrated Regional Climate Change Adaption Programme for the Model Region Dresden

Dresden is currently one of the largest and most dynamic economic regions in Germany’s eastern states. However, in the years to come this city on the Elbe and its surroundings will have to deal with the direct and indirect impact of climate change. These are expected to bring challenges to practically all areas of public and private life. A large consortium of regional actors from politics, administration, business and science has therefore placed the city and region of Dresden at the heart of wide-ranging investigations. Within the framework of the REGKLAM project, these actors design strategies to better cope with the regional impact of climate change. Regional climate change not only brings risks but also offers opportunities to Dresden and its surroundings. Thus a special challenge for the region is to pinpoint and exploit these opportunities while reducing or indeed avoiding risks.
The work of REGKLAM covers a wide range of topics, which are all reflected in the main product of the project: the integrated regional climate adaption programme.
Research and development in REGKLAM are organized into four modules: Module 1 develops the main product, the integrated regional climate adaption programme. This is subdivided into strategic topics such as “water balance and water management”, and jointly developed by representatives of the local administration, business and politics. Strategies for the transfer of data and insights gained on climate change, its repercussions and potential adaption measures are also developed in the module. Module 2 investigates the theoretical basis behind the development of various forms of adaption. Regionalized scenarios describe the changing climate, economy and society while taking account of global effects as well as local changes specific to the Dresden region. Integrated scenarios draw together the individual changes into complex frameworks for the development and evaluation of alternative forms of adaption. Module 3 develops concrete adaption strategies in exemplary fields of action such as urban structures, water systems and land use. These strategies are also designed to take account of production conditions in trade and industry as well as the sectors environment and health. In Module 4 the scientific work of the project is coordinated and support given to the collaboration of regional actors, for example by the organization of internal project meetings and working groups as well as information events for the region.
Objective of the project is to make a concrete contribution to climate change adaptation for the Dresden region by developing and testing an integrated regional climate adaptation program. Another goal is to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the region through practical and workable recommendations for climate change adaptation measures.
Dresden
For Germany, there are data from different regional climate models for the period 2001-2100 that are based on the SRES scenarios of the IPCC. The following models will be used:
These data will be complemented by the station data of the DWD (from 1951 earliest) and updated during the project.
Furthermore, regionalized scenarios regarding the economic change will be worked out showing the direction and strength of the different expected climate change impacts industry-specific. This involves the transfer of meteorological scenarios in economic and business scenarios to determine the vulnerability of certain sectors and business clusters on the one hand to and secondly, the analysis of economic and business scenarios to derive policy recommendations for the state capital Dresden.
Wind conditions, extreme values, etc. (all climate parameters of regional climate modeling)
In the future, Dresden and the surrounding area will be increasingly affected by the various direct and indirect impacts of climate change. The expected climate changes have an impact on almost all industries and will affect the life and location conditions of the region. The three areas of urban development, water systems and land use are considered in particular within this project.
Vulnerability analyzes serve as a basis for determining the need for many adaptation measures.
There are three key areas within this project which are particularly important for the further development of the region: urban structures, supply and disposal infrastructure with a focus on urban water systems as well as land use.
These three processes will be connected:
Module 1 develops the main product, the integrated regional climate adaption programme. This is subdivided into strategic topics such as “water balance and water management”, and jointly developed by representatives of the local administration, business and politics. Strategies for the transfer of data and insights gained on climate change, its repercussions and potential adaption measures are also developed in the module.
Strengthen the regional long-term competitiveness through practical and workable recommendations for measures to adapt to climate change. Thus different climate adaptation and innovation strategies for the regional economy will be developed, whereas, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the focus of attention to provide them decision-making support.
Development of adaptation strategies for building and infrastructure, manufacturing and services, agriculture, forestry, urban and regional planning as well as adaptation and mitigation strategies for reservoir management, which is the raw water treatment and water-related land-use management in the catchment area. The subject is to develop a multi-criteria system for the optimization and decision support for the management and control of dams under changing climatic conditions.
Module 3 develops concrete adaption strategies in exemplary fields of action such as urban structures, water systems and land use. These strategies are also designed to take account of production conditions in trade and industry as well as the sectors environment and health.
There are following sub-projects:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - research priority: "KLIMZUG – Managing climate change in the regions for the future"
Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development (IOER)
REGKLAM is realised by seven main partners from the fields of research, public administration and public services. Additionally, a number of institutions and private companies are involved as associated partners and subcontractors including ministries, regional land user associations, specialised services and single companies or firms.
Leibniz-Institut für ökologische Raumentwicklung e. V. (IÖR)
Weberplatz 1
D-01217 Dresden