Climate Change Adaptation Strategies at a Local Scale: The Portuguese Case Study

Abstract

Coastal areas are home to more than 2 billion people around the globe and, as such, are especially vulnerable to climate change consequences. Climate change adaptation has proven to be more effective on a local scale, contributing to a bottom-up approach to the problems related to the changing climate. Portugal has approximately 2000 km of coastline, with 75% of the population living along the coast. Therefore, this research had the main objective of understanding adaptation processes at a local scale, using Portuguese coastal municipalities as a case study. To achieve this goal, document analysis and a questionnaire to coastal municipalities were applied, and the existence of measures rooted in nature-based solutions, green infrastructures, and community-based adaptation was adopted as an indicator. The main conclusion from this research is that 87% of the municipalities that answered the questionnaire have climate change adaptation strategies implemented or in development. Moreover, it was possible to conclude that 90% of the municipalities are familiar with the concept of nature-based solutions and all the municipalities with adaptation strategies include green infrastructure. However, it was also possible to infer that community-based adaptation is a concept that most municipalities do not know about or undervalue.

Special Issue “Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation: An Interdisciplinary Approach”

“…They applied this model to a local government and for areas requiring improvement. Ramalho et al [18] investigated adaptation processes by local governments in Portugal and found that most local governments have developed and are implementing CCA strategies. The local governments that were studied are familiar with nature-based solutions but underestimate community-based adaptation.…”

Adaptability of the city of Belo Horizonte to changes in rainfall patterns – a case study of the Ressaca Stream Basin

“…According to Ramalho et al (2022), to address climate change and the consequences that derive from it, various authors have produced the concept of climate change adaptation, varying in their approach to the concept, which has resulted in various definitions. In fact, climate change adaptation has more success when applied at a local scale.…”