Coastal landscapes are sensitive to water-related effects of climate change such as flooding, extreme rainfall and drought. In order to tackle these effects and enhance the resilience of these landscapes, a better and profound understanding of water management is needed. The SCAPE project addresses this challenge by developing and testing innovative water management solutions for coastal cities in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
SCAPE is working with key stakeholders (water managers, planners and architects) to increase the cost effectiveness of water management applications in six pilot sites. The measures outlined below have been tested at the pilot sites located in rural, urban and fringe coastal areas.
The measures of the conventional water management approach does not take the landscape-specific characteristics into account. The SCAPE project wants to build upon the principles of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) to implement a new approach in water management – Landscape Led Design or LLD.
LLD Specifications
What are the innovative solutions to cope with the water-related effects of climate change?
Every year, our environment suffers from climate change related natural hazards such as flooding and droughts. In the following years, the impact of these problems will increase, challenging our society even more. Coastal areas, are – even more than other area’s – vulnerable to flood risks. Coastal cities face a high risk from increasingly costly flooding as sea levels rise and water from the hinterland amid climate change. To cope with the issues of drought and extreme rainfall, extra buffering and drainage capacity is necessary.
As climate change will affect the way we set up our living environments, it is necessary to gain better insights into these effects. In this context, a climate test for all pilot sites of the SCAPE project took place between January and April 2017. These tests form the basis for any implementation on the site and identify the potential LLD solutions which will be executed in the pilots.
More information on the different approaches and use of Landscape Led Design measures used in all six pilots can be found here:
- Gardens of Stene (Ostend): The green laboratory for local dynamics
- Zwin: Transforming an ever changing landscape
- Camden Avenue & Norton Road (Brighton & Hove): The participatory greening in an urban landscape
- Darent Valley (Kent Downs): Jewel in the Downs, an area of outstanding natural beauty
- East Bank (Ostend): The Cityriver, a green-blue match between LLD and WSUDs
- Essenvelt (Middelburg)
A broad overview of all climate adaptation solutions and more general knowledge can be found on the Climate App.
Knowledge sharing: what you need to know
We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women's empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all - Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Climate change in coastal areas & innovative LLD solutions
To tackle the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of coastal landschapes, SCAPE uses innovative Landscape Led Design. What are these innovative solutions? What are so-called blue and green infrastructure implementations? And what kind of water-related effects of climate change can we expect in the 2 Seas area, and more specific for coastal landscapes?
- Designing green and blue infrastructure to support healthy urban living
In this study, the benefits are shown for some of the ecosystem services of green infrastructure. Furthermore, the study includes a comparison between green and grey infrastructure on street and city level. - Sustainable drainage systems
SuDS are more sustainable than traditional drainage models. It creates the opportunity to manage water naturally, control the speed of run off water, reduce pollutants and create a habitat for wildlife.
Klimaatverandering in kustlandschappen en innovatieve LGO-oplossingen
Om de kwestbaarheid van kustgebieden aan te pakken en tegelijk de veerkracht te verhogen, maakt SCAPE gebruik van landschapsgeleide ontwerpen. Wat zijn nu deze innovatieve oplossingen die naar voor geschoven worden? Bieden blauwe en groene infrastructuur de gewenste oplossingen? En welke watergerelateerde effecten van klimaatverandering mogen in het 2 Zeeën gebied, en specifieker voor kustlandschappen, verwacht worden?
- Het voorbeeld Middelburg (download)
Een scala aan stedelijke strategieën zijn reeds ontwikkeld om zo goed mogelijk om te gaan met de gevolgen van klimaatveranderingen. Er is echter vooral behoefte aan creatieve ontwerpoplossingen op locatie. Ontwerprichtlijnen op maat en op wijk- en gebouwniveau (vanuit een landschapsgerichte aanpak) worden hier toegepast op de piloot site Essenvelt, te Middelburg. - Het klimaat past ook in uw straatje
Met dit voorbeeldboek hopen de makers aan de hand van praktische voorbeelden ook anderen te inspireren om met klimaatbestendig inrichten aan de slag te gaan. Daarnaast focus de studie zich eveneens op de mogelijkheden, effecten en voordelen van het vergroenen van steden op straatniveau.
SCAPE_Climate test_Objective_NL.docx15,6 Kb(docx)
Study report: Water balance of the coast
We’ve conducted an analysis of the water needs, water use and water supply in the coastal area. The results were presented at a conference in Bredene on the 4th of April 2019 and are summarized in this document.
Read the Bulletin by the National Flood Forum
