Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic: Perspectives from the Barents Area

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Chapter 9 · Adaptation options

Table 9.1 National climate change vulnerability assessments and national adaptation strategies in the Barents area.

Norway

Sweden

Finland

Russia

First and Second Climate Change Assessment Reports of the Russian Federation (Roshydromet, 2008, 2014) Climate doctrine of the Russian Federation 17.12.2009 (Russian Federation, 2009; www.kremlin.ru )

National adaptation strategy, 2005 (Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2005) National adaptation strategy, 2005 (Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2005) Implementation plan for adaptation 2022 (Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2014) Yes Climate Law, 2015, and several programs and plans, including water management, flood protection management, climate program for agriculture, biodiversity, forestry, land use, traffic and security

Swedish Commission on Climate and Vulnerability (2007)

National vulnerability assessments

Official Norwegian report, 2010 (Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, 2010)

Swedish Commission on Climate and Vulnerability (2007); Climate Bill 2009, policy development e.g. in specific sectoral agencies

National adaptation strategy or policy

White paper, 2013 (Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, 2013)

Yes RF Government Ordinance No 730-p, 25.04.2011 (www. global-climate-change.ru/ official documents ); National strategy of the Russian Federation for development of the Arctic zone, 2013

Yes Such as in the Climate Bill (Government Offices of Sweden, 2009) ) and in specific cases such as flood protection

Followed up by legislation

Yes Planning and Building Act, 2008

under development in Sweden, although this mainly focuses on mitigation (Government Offices of Sweden, 2016). Despite limitations at the national level, strategies and policies on climate change adaptation exist at the regional and local level in Sweden. For example, those produced by the County Administrative Board (2012) and the County Administrative Board of Stockholm (2010a,b,c). In Norrbotten and Västerbotten, reports have been published on potential impacts and adaptation (County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, 2009), on infrastructure and built areas, technical supply systems, natural environment and land-based industries, and health, including effects on water catchments (County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, 2010, 2012). Other efforts integrate work on flood management (e.g. County Administrative Board of Västerbotten, 2007). 9.2.2.3 Finland The Finnish approach to climate adaptation is mostly administrative and sectoral, both nationally and regionally. Its programs and plans cover several areas, such as water and flood protectionmanagement, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, traffic and security.The national adaptationwork is led and coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, supported by other ministries, state authorities and national research institutes.The national strategy for adaptation was adopted in 2005, evaluated in 2009 and 2013, and a new plan for adaptation to 2022 was published in 2014.Adaptation is also included in the newClimate Law adopted in 2015. The rationale for adaptation in the most recent national plan is to ensure that “ Finnish society will have the capacity to manage climate change related risks and adapt to changes in the climate ” (Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,2014:4).Adaptationof peoples and livelihoods (including reindeer husbandry and tourism) in northern Finland has been raised as a national issue, and highlights the concern that the northern regions are particularly sensitive to climate change. Climate change is also increasingly being seen as an opportunity for new economic activities, products and services, such as

of a detailed topographical database on flood risk, andmapping of landslide risk (Keskitalo, 2010a). Legislative change in the existing Planning and Building Law in relation to increasing flood risk has also been addressed and changes in force since 2008 include the requirement to consider‘flooding and erosion’ in planning and local infrastructural development, in addition to health and security (Keskitalo, 2010a). Similar to Finland, the national approach to climate change adaptation in Sweden includes both sectoral and administrative levels, where sectors, such as forestry and agriculture, have coordinating responsibilities. The counties have regional administrative responsibilities. Local governments are the authorities for local planning and thus have significant self- determination. They have responsibility for local climate change adaptation, but without formalized requirements or allocated funding for specific adaptation action. Earlier studies and assessments have indicated that this may result in climate change adaptation becoming limited in practice, and potentially dependent on resources at the municipal level (where municipalities with large populations and consequently a higher tax income are better able to respond) (Keskitalo 2010a; Andersson et al., 2015). Many northern municipalities cover large geographic areas but are sparsely populated. They have relatively few resources with which to target climate change and so need allocated funding, although if particular high-impact vulnerabilities are identified this could result in climate change adaptation being prioritized above other crucial sectors or requirements for action.In the recent assessment of how climate change adaptation is organized in Sweden, recommendations for resolving this issue include permanently funding regional level coordination, harmonizing regulatory frameworks, and providing funding such that municipalities can develop and implement climate change adaptation strategies and measures (Andersson et al., 2015). As a result of the assessment, a commission on climate change adaptation and a commission addressing climate change with respect to national heritage have been established (Kulturdepartementet, 2015; Swedish Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2015). A Climate Act is