Concept and Process Design for Participatory Regional Vulnerability Assessments: Lessons Learnt from Analysing Model Projects. Presented by Wolfgang Lexer at the "Perth II: Global Change and the World's Mountains" conference in Perth, Scotland in September 2010.

1. EEA-Report:
Regional climate change and adaptation –
The Alps facing the challenges of
changing water resources
Perth mountains conference, 26-30 September 2010
Wolfgang Lexer (UBA Vienna)
Torsten Grothmann (PIK Potsdam), Andrea Prutsch (UBA Vienna),
Inke Schauser (UBA Dessau), Benno Hain (UBA Dessau),
Sabine McCallum (UBA Vienna), Diana Nenz (PIK Potsdam),
Anne Holsten (PIK Potsdam), Marc Zebisch (EURAC Bozen),
Stéphane Isoard (EEA Copenhagen)
Project Funded by
Members

2. State of knowledge
• Mountains are one of the most vulnerable regions to climate
change in Europe (EEA 2008, IPCC 2007).
• The Alps as the „water towers‟ of Europe play a fundamental
role for large parts of Europe.
• In the Alps, water resource problems (quantity and quality) in
the past appeared in particular regions and at particular times
of the year.
• Climate change will impact water availability:
effects on ecosystem services and,
effects on almost all socio-economical sectors.
• In the future, climate change could increase water resource
problems in specific regions in the Alps and throughout Europe
(growing demand vs. decreasing water availability).

3. Aims
Gain some insights on the vulnerability of the Alps with regard to
the impacts of global change on water availability and specific
water-sensitive regions.
 Natural hazards are beyond the scope of the study!
Analyse adaptation activities to water resource problems which
have already been carried out in sensitive regions.
Assess possible needs, constraints and opportunities for
adaptation.
Provide support to regional and local administrations in making
informed decisions.
Raise awareness and expand the knowledge base.

4. Structure of the study Methods
1. Setting the scene Literature review &
• Climate change in the Alps Climate scenarios
• Alps as “Water Towers”
Data collection & review
• Sectoral perspective
Interviews
with local & regional
2. Regional perspective stakeholders
• 6 Case Studies for 4 climatic zones 2-day workshop
Questionnaire measuring
the importance of certain
3. Experiences aspects as
• Adaptation to climate change in water- barriers/triggers
sensitive regions of the Alps
• Transboundary cooperation on water Literature review &
scarcity experiences from
case studies
• Other mountain regions in Europe

5. Sectoral perspective
Sektors experiencing water resource pressures

6. Regional perspective – Case studies

7. Key themes in case study regions
Which water resource problems are existing How are sectors in water-sensitive regions
in water-sensitive regions in the Alps? influenced by changing water availability?
How does the water supply from the
Alps affect Europe?
Which adaptation activities to water resource
problems are already carried out?
What are the needs, constraints and
Which triggers, barriers and drivers of opportunities for past and future adaptation?
adaptation can be identified?
Can other mountain regions profit
from experiences in the Alps?
Federal Environment Agency, Germany European Environment Agency

8. Experiences from regional Case studies – 1 –
Case studies are not meant to be representative for the Alps
but were carried out to illustrate key issues!
• Adaptation to water resource problems are driven by concrete
effects and socio-economic impacts rather than climate
change prediction.
• Measures are often triggered by:
• Extreme events causing drastic water scarcity
• Economic reasons
• Political will
• Local traditions and rules
• Adaptation has followed mainly
a technological approach.

9. Experiences from regional Case studies – 2 -
• Adaptation processes highly depend on the people involved
and on institutional and organisational factors.
• Coordination of water resources is organized largely at local
level.
• Cross-sectoral coordination seems to work well at local level
but is often lacking at regional level.
• Maladaptation is happening.
• Often knowledge is missing (e.g. monitoring, withdrawals).

10. Important factors for adaptation to climate change
Awareness &
Political factors information/
Education & skills
Institutional and
organisational factors
Adaptation to climate change
and water resource problems
Legal factors
Economic factors
Social & cultural factors
Technological factors Equity

11. Dynamic Motivated and skilled
individuals
adaptation
process
Adaptation management / Awareness /
governance Stakeholder dialogue / cooperation Risk perception
Dissemination of knowledge
on climate change and
good adaptation practices
Triggers and influential factors of adaptation process
Experience of problems Knowledge production Availability and Legal context: Economic context:
in the past (e.g. water on climate change access to legal instruments availability of economic
shortages, droughts) impacts and technological and responsibilities / resources and financial
adaptation strategies adaptation options competencies instruments
(e.g. win-win and low (e.g. drop irrigation) (e.g. water framework (e.g. water prices)
regret options, directive)
stepwise precautionary
approach)

12. Conclusions for vulnerability &
adaptation assessments
 Highlight social, political, institutional and management
factors as important determinants of adaptive capacity and
vulnerability
 Identify region specific adaptation barriers and drivers by
applying participatory assessments (e.g. half-standardized self-
assessment tools)
 Evaluate assessment results to be included as indicators for
adaptive capacity
 Arrange for periodic monitoring to detect potential new barriers
and drivers during the adaptation process

13. Recommendations for adaptation to
future climate change in water-sensitive regions of
the European Alps
 Tailor response measures to specific regional conditions and
most affected sectors, taking general political and socio-
economic realities into account
 Keep adaptation processes adaptive, based on continuous
monitoring and learning to ensure flexibility for adjustments
 Apply precautionary principle in response to knowledge deficits
 Implement adaptation actions step by step, beginning with
win-win or no-regret options

14. EEA-Report (2009):
Regional climate change and adaptation:
The Alps facing the challenge
of changing water resources
Link: www.eea.europa.eu/publications/alps-
climate-change-and-adaptation-2009
Project consortium (ETC-ACC):
UBA Dessau (Germany), UBA Vienna (Austria),
PIK Potsdam (Germany), EURAC Bolzano (Italy)
Partner:
Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention
Contributing authors:
EPA Slovenia, ZAMG (Austria), Ministero
dell`Ambiente e della Tutela del Territori e del
Mare (Italy), University of Geneva and WSL
(Switzerland), Institut de la Montagne (France),
Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention UNEP
(Austria).
Federal Environment Agency, Germany European Environment Agency

15. Thank you!
Project Funded by
Members