Local Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation: Urban Planning Criteria for Municipalities of the Basque Country, Spain

Abstract

Major efforts in the struggle against climate change have been made inthe Basque Country. These include instruments such as the Basque ClimateChange Office, the Basque Plan to Combat Climate Change, and the manyinitiatives carried out under the framework of Udalsarea 21 BasqueNetwork of Municipalities for Sustainability (made up of 199municipalities and representing 98.8% of the population of the BasqueCountry). Moreover, specific legislation on climate change is expectedto come into force in 2011. In particular, the Basque Government isdeveloping the Climate Change Law and the Sustainable Mobility Law.Additionally, in response to the annual call for eco-innovationprojects, the Basque Government is engaged in two climate changeadaptation initiatives within the framework of the Udalsarea 21. Bothinitiatives aim at generating and piloting methodological resources tohelp municipal authorities establish adaptation policies. The mainelements are: (1) methodological directives to draw up local adaptationstrategies, and (2) preparation of specific criteria of urban adaptationto climate change to be incorporated into urban planning.