Climate adaptation concept
In contrast to climate protection, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide or methane, climate adaptation is about dealing with the consequences of climate change and extreme weather events. The aim of climate adaptation is to reduce risks, avoid damage and adapt to the expected changes caused by climate change.
Areas of action include, for example, dealing with storms and heavy rainfall in order to prevent or contain flooding and other risks. This also includes the topic of heat prevention. Furthermore, cities and municipalities can respond to climate change by adapting their urban planning or building design.
Climate protection and climate adaptation are equally important for a future-oriented and liveable municipality. In the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer, both fields of action are therefore taken into account and the synergies between them are utilized.
With the creation of a climate adaptation concept, the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer wants to lay the foundation for many sustainable climate adaptation measures. The climate adaptation concept serves as a decision-making and planning aid for municipal climate adaptation.
The kick-off event for the concept development took place on 13.02.2025. After a presentation, the citizens present actively contributed to the planning by discussing risks and proposed measures. (The slides will be uploaded soon)
Creation of a concept for sustainable climate adaptation and natural climate protection for the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer
The climate adaptation concept consists of various components. The first step is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the climate-related risks and vulnerabilities for the urban area. Suitable adaptation measures are then identified and prioritized on the basis of these results. The participatory process is the most important building block. Strategies for adapting to the consequences of climate change are developed in workshops together with relevant stakeholders. The adaptation measures are coordinated and implemented by the climate adaptation manager in collaboration with the stakeholders involved.
Funding through the Natural Climate Protection Action Program (ANK)
With the Natural Climate Protection Action Program(ANK), the German government wants to make a decisive contribution to significantly improving systematic adaptation to climate change in municipalities and municipal institutions, thereby strengthening their resilience. The financial incentives are intended to enable strategic management of climate adaptation, which will benefit consumers as well as municipalities and educational institutions. The program aims to ensure a holistic view of all climate impacts and not just focus on individual aspects. The German government wants to enable stakeholders to tackle the necessary adaptation processes consistently and with foresight in order to safeguard the quality of life of current and future generations. The funded measures should not only serve climate adaptation, but also systematically develop synergies for greater ecological sustainability.
The sustainable climate adaptation concept is funded under the title "ANK-DAS-A.1: Creation of a concept for sustainable climate adaptation and natural climate protection for the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer" from 01.11.2024 to 30.10.2026 by the Climate Protection Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection ( BMUV ). The funding code is 67DAAN0131. The Drees und Sommer consulting firm is responsible for implementing and supporting the funded project. Kevelaer's climate adaptation manager Leon Schlüter is coordinating the project on behalf of the municipality. The project sponsor is Zukunft-Umwelt-Gesellschaft(ZUG) gGmbH ZUG.
