Samenvatting

Climate change leads to an increased risk of extreme weather events for society. To reduce the effects of extreme weather events climate change adaptation is required (Harley & van Minnen, 2009). Climate adaptation are actions taken by society to adapt to the changing climate and reduce the negative effects of climate change. However, uncertainties derived from climate change and adaptation efforts can alter the process of achieving goals. To responsibly handle spatial adaptation uncertainties and to smart and timely adjust climate adaptation policies, monitoring for spatial adaptation is required. Monitoring of spatial adaptation provides information regarding the extent to which a measure contributes to a climate proof environment as well as the possibility to amend strategies and policies when undesired outcomes are expected (Klostermann, Arts, van de Sandt, van Minnen, & Betgen, 2013). However, there are a few challenges regarding monitoring for spatial adaptation and monitoring practices are still at an early stage.

The goal of this research is to develop guidelines for adequate monitoring for spatial adaptation to climate change. This leads to the main research question: What is adequate monitoring for spatial adaptation to climate change on the municipal level? This research focusses on public spatial adaptation efforts in which municipalities play a role.

To answer the research question, desk research, an experiment and a group discussion are conducted. The experiment consists of a card sorting method and an interview. Respondents are categorize two sets of pre-defined cards in three tests. The first test include a set of cards which describe elements which could be incorporated in a monitoring approach. The second test include a set of cards which describe indicators that could provide information for monitoring of spatial adaptation on the municipal level. The second set of cards are also used for the third test which defines the organizations contributing to monitoring at the municipal level. The concepts described on the cards are based on a desk research and these concepts are tested during a group discussion with Tauw advisors.

The results show that adequate monitoring for spatial adaptation to climate change include specified goals and indicators based on these goals. The indicators should be bundled because as an individual indicator they do not provide for meaningful information to adjust the adaptation interventions. Furthermore, the focus of monitoring should move in time from process indicators to output indicators and finally to outcome indicators. Outcome indicators, which were often defined as the effect, are for municipalities most interesting for monitoring but are also very difficult to measure. Collaboration between multiple organizations is necessary to provide valid data on the outcome indicators. Lastly, adequate monitoring at the municipal level includes collaboration with other (governmental) organizations for generating, sharing and comparing data.

The results present many variations in perspectives of the respondents from which we can recommend to work with a communal vocabulary for monitoring for spatial adaptation. Other recommendations stating the discussions regarding climate adaptation and monitoring to reduce the complexity of the topic and to compile the different perspective on monitoring. Finally, municipalities can start with specifying their goals and choose indicators (process and output indicators) based on these goals and start with mapping the stakeholders and their responsibilities.