1 How to integrate social vulnerability aspects into adaptation to climate change planning the case of the City of Helsinki Susanna Kankaanpää City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division Environmental Services
Helsinki, the most functional City in the world Some facts about the City: Population 643 000, Helsinki region 1,5 million (27% of Finnish population) Helsinki is a fast growing city, population forecast to 2050: 758 000 Jobs: 426 500 (2017), employment selfsufficiency 130%, unemployment rate 8,4% 2
Population of Helsinki Total population 31 December 2017 643,272 By age By gender, % 47 53 Estonian 2 Russian 3 English, Somali 1 Other 7 Finnish 80 90 75 89 60 74 45 59 30 44 15 29 0 14 100 000 100 000 Swedish 6 Languages, % 3
Helsinki is adapting to climate change Adaptation to climate change policy (strategic guidelines) has been prepared, and will go to decision making at the end of this year Weather and climate risks have been assessed, report published (in Finnish) 2018 https://www.hel.fi/static/liitteet/kaupunkiymp aristo/julkaisut/julkaisut/julkaisu-06-18.pdf 4
Finnish Meteorological Institute 2018 5
How vulnerable are Finnish cities to climate change? In Finland, about 70 % of population lives in urban areas (2014), and recently almost all of the growth of population (90 %) has been concentrating in the 6 largest cities Urban areas are vulnerable to climate change: agglomeration of people, buildings and infrastructure situated often on coastal areas, urban heat island, urban density financial damage of extreme events are large But also large opportunities for greener life Urban vulnerability assessments in Finland have been carried out mostly on the cities or regions own initiative and resources Also city commitments and networks such as C40, Global Covenant of Mayors urge cities to take action 6
Mapping social vulnerability to climate change a tool for supporting adaptation planning Social vulnerability to climate change in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area was analysed and mapped in 2015 (Kazmierczak 2015 and HSY 2016) Target of the work: to support urban planning in the metropolitan area - information about vulnerable people and communities and where they are can be used in prioritazing adaptation actions and measures changing the focus in adaptation to people instead of hazards The work is based on the methodology developed in the UK (presented in ClimateJust http://www.climatejust.org.uk/ ) Further development of the indicators and the mapping, and updating the data needed 7
Social vulnerability to high temperatures HSY 2016 8
Managing heat in the city Land use planning and building measures for city workers Building district cooling Using green and blue infrastructure Risk assessment in social and health services 9
Managing flooding Land use planning is an important tool Recommendations for lowest building heights, modelling waves Green-blue infrastructure and storm water management structures New storm water management programme Guidance for citizens and property owners 10 Photo: City of Helsinki
Green and blue infrastructure planning Helsinki has many policies and programmes that deal with green and blue structure, eg.: Master plan of Helsinki Development plan of green and recreation area network Strategic guidelines for green roofs Storm water management programme Biodiversity programme Programmes have many targets: Storm water management Securing biodiversity Quality of green infrastructure Versatile, multi-function areas Well-being of residents 11 Photo: City of Helsinki
Promoting health and well-being A functional city has many strengths and few weaknesses. Functionality is based on equality, non-discrimination, strong social cohesion and open, inclusive ways of operating. Everyone feels safe in Helsinki. Each resident has the opportunities to lead a quality and eventful life and to receive the support and services needed for all stages in life. Helsinki Well-being plan proposed in Health and well-being report Photo: City of Helsinki 12
Integration of social vulnerability aspects into adaptation planning? Helsinki wants to be a functional, equal, open and inclusive city with strong social cohesion The city has are several strategic programmes and plans for reaching these targets Social and health services programmes are strong on well-being, but weaker on climate aspects Environmental, land use, technical and climate programmes include adaptation issues, but less wellbeing and social aspects Ways forward? Raising awareness, communication Developing social vulnerability indicators and mapping, data and visualisation of the issue Creating indicators for well-being for the technical sectors (Tampere region) 13
14 Thank you! susanna.kankaapaa(at)hel.fi