Adaptation of Liberec

Liberec is adapting to climate change!

Rising temperatures, drought and heavy rains are affecting Liberec too. The impacts of climate change are becoming more pronounced and there is a need to adapt to them. The adaptation of Liberec to the changing climate includes a number of strategies and interventions aimed at reducing the negative impacts on the urban environment and its inhabitants.

What are the goals of the climate change Adaptation strategy for the statutory city of Liberec?

The main goal is to adapt the city of Liberec to the new conditions set by the natures climate change

The adaptation strategy is developed for all cadastral territories of the statutory city of Liberec and the time horizon for it is 2040.

Main goals of the adaptation strategy:

Assess the current level of vulnerability of the territory to the impacts of climate change
Plan specific measures leading to the reduction of vulnerability and strengthening of the territory's resilience
Set procedures and processes leading to the implementation of individual measures in the city
Start the implementation of the first measures - instruments aimed at mitigating future climate change are referred to as mitigation measures and instruments preparing for the consequences of climate change are referred to as adaptation measures.

Elaboration of risk and vulnerability analysis of the territory

Conducting a climate change risk analysis of a city is a crucial step in identifying the potential threats and vulnerabilities that a city may face as a result of climate change. This includes a thorough assessment of the various risks associated with climate change, including extreme weather events, rising water levels, more frequent heat waves and drought. The risk analysis process involves collecting data and analyzing a city's vulnerability, exposure to these various risks, and then assessing the potential impacts on the city's infrastructure, economy, health and well-being of the city's residents.

As soon as these risks are identified, a strategic (proposal) part is processed, thanks to which the city can implement measures and other steps to solve them. Developing a climate change risk analysis in a city requires cooperation and coordination between different stakeholders, including local government, associations, community groups and especially environmental and urban planning experts, to ensure that the city is well prepared to face the challenges arising from a changing climate.

Strategic (design) and implementation part of the strategy

Preparing a city's climate change adaptation strategy is a crucial step in ensuring the city's resilience and ability to cope with the impacts of climate change. The strategy is based on a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks and vulnerabilities of the city, as well as the needs and priorities of its inhabitants. The strategy should include a range of measures that address different aspects of urban life such as infrastructure, housing, transport and public health. These measures can include implementing green infrastructure, improving water management systems, developing energy efficient buildings, promoting sustainable transport and creating community initiatives to raise awareness of climate change.

The strategy should also be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in the city's climate, economy and social dynamics. By preparing a city's climate adaptation strategy, it can ensure that it is well-equipped and ready to face the challenges of a changing climate, ensuring a sustainable and healthy environment for its residents.

With the help of strategic planning, measures, that can contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change on the quality of the environment and the lives of city residents, can be gradually implemented

The proposed measures will help to achieve the following strategic goals of the city:

1. GREEN AND NATURE

Sufficient greenery helps to stabilize the urban microclimate and, together with water elements and high biodiversity, ensures a pleasant environment for the lives of local residents and sustainable tourism.

2. WATER

The city of Liberec is reliably supplied with drinking water, efficiently manages rainwater and waste water, protects the territory from floods, torrential rains, drought and erosion, and systematically solves water retention in the territory.

3. ENERGY, TRANSPORT, WASTE AND PROPERTY

The city of Liberec reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases energy self-sufficiency, develops environmentally friendly transport, sustainably manages resources with the aim of achieving climate neutrality by 2030, and adapts its property to climate change.

4. SYSTEMATIC MEASURES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The city of Liberec supports the cooperation of all actors in climate protection, acts sustainably, and the city's residents are educated and informed in the field of climate protection and adaptation to climate change.

5. HEALTH AND PROTECTION OF THE RESIDENTS

The City of Liberec takes care of the living conditions and health of its residents and is prepared for extraordinary events caused by climate change.

What creates the Adaptation strategy?

The adaptation strategy consists of the following parts processed from 01/2022 to 04/2023:

Analytical part
Proposal part
Implementation part
Active plan
Executive summary

Outputs also include:

Surface temperature map
Map of vegetation threat from drought
Map of the amount of vegetation near buildings
Map of permeable surfaces
Map of the physiological state of the vegetation
Current digital relief and surface model

The adaptation strategy will serve as one of the initial documents for the elaboration of subsequent conceptual and strategic documents of the city (e.g. spatial plan, urban and architectural studies, comprehensive water management model).

The statutory city of Liberec is a member of the Covenant of Mayors and Mayors. This initiative was established to engage and support cities and regions to commit to meeting the EU's climate and energy goals.

In the Central European region, according to climate models, an increase in negative phenomena such as drought, heat waves, extreme torrential rainfall and flash floods can be expected. The higher intensity of climatic extremes is already evident from the data of recent years. These changes are associated with various impacts that are more or less reflected in all areas of human activity, and thus also in the urban environment.

The Adaptation Strategy for Liberec maps and assesses the vulnerability of the city in relation to climate change and proposes specific measures to mitigate the impact of these changes on the lives of the residents of Liberec.

Workshops were also held as part of the preparation of the adaptation strategy, where the ongoing project outputs were presented to the professional public and representatives of the Statutory City of Liberec.

About the project

Project: "Climate change adaptation strategy of the statutory city of Liberec"

Implementation period: 06/2021 – 12/2023
Estimated total expenditure: 1.380.000 Kč
The amount of the SFŽP subsidy: 186.300 Kč (13,5%)
Grant amount from Norwegian funds: 1.055.700 Kč (76,5%)
Own SML share: 138.000 Kč (10%)
Registration number: 3194100006