Percepció, incentius i barreres per a l'adaptació dels municipis de la Costa Brava al canvi climàtic

Abstract

The development of adaptation policies to climate change at the local level is not simple.

The local administration is where more interests and conflicts come together, more so in

municipalities with a tourist vocation. In this study we will analyze the knowledge that

technicians of tourist municipalities of the Mediterranean coast have on climate change

and the adaptation measures adopted at the moment by five climate risks; and also, we

will search for stimulus or barriers during the process of adaptation. The chosen

municipalities of the Costa Brava are representative of its geographical, socioeconomical

and environmental diversity (Blanes, Castell-Platja d'Aro, Colera, Lloret de Mar, Portbou,

Roses and Torroella de Montgrí-l'Estartit). The five analyzed climatic risks in question are

sea flooding and storm surges, rising sea levels and coastal erosion, rising temperatures

and heat waves, dry lands, water shortages and forest fires. In order to analyze the

problem, a mixed methodology has been used through questionnaires and Focus Groups

with all the municipal technicians.

The results have shown that the recent impact of extreme climatic episodes is one of the

most important factors for considering which risks are the most alarming. In

consequence, drought and water shortage has been the highest ranked risk fort current

consequences and for future consequences. To combat the impacts of the various risks,

structural actions predominate, as the paradigm began to change with the incorporation

of nature-based solutions (SbN).

Regarding the stimulus and barriers, it has been detected that these vary municipally

depending on multiple factors (technician’s ability to act, territorial reality…), although

common patterns have been detected. For the water hazards predominate the available

knowledge and the values or sense of the urgency of those responsible. On the other

hand, factors related to resources and coordination between actors appear more

transversally across all environmental risks. It has also been observed that more factors

are detected in the environmental risks of the dry lands, water shortages and the forest

fires