Page 7 - Towards a Policy for Climate Resilient Infrastructure and Services in Coastal Cities
P. 7
Policy Brief
Examples of International Action Undertaken to Adapt Infrastructure to Climate Change Impacts8
Country Action undertaken
Australia Infrastructure Australia* identified adaptable and secure water supplies to cope with climate change as one of seven key objectives.
Established a Climate Change Adaptation Infrastructure Project, which includes developing a standard‘climate change adaptation system for organizations’.
* Infrastructure Australia is a statutory authority of the federal government established under the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008. Its role is to plan and
co-ordinate infrastructure projects across Australia; its purview includes both road and public transport projects. The authority is part of the Department of
Infrastructure and Transport.
Canada Infrastructure Canada* considers adaptation in its funding programmes.
Applicants to the Canadian Strategic Infrastructure Fund are required to demonstrate how their project addresses climate change impacts and adaptation and
may be required to take certain measures to address these issues.
* Infrastructure Canada is the lead federal department responsible for infrastructure policy development and program delivery. It reports to Parliament and
Canadians through the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Denmark Road regulations and railway standards are being reviewed and revised with consideration of expected climate changes.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency published guidelines in 2007 in order for municipalities to take climate change into account in connection with
construction and operation of sewage systems and sewer renovation.
Japan Issuing a series of documents on practical guidance on strategic climate change adaptation planning.
New Zealand National Infrastructure Plan (2010) identified the impacts of climate change as one of the long-term key trends that need to be addressed.
USA The Council on Environmental Quality has issued Implementing Instructions to be used by the Federal Government in climate change adaptation planning.
This includes federal adaptation planning to address the effects of climate change on Federal infrastructure assets.
California has established an infrastructure working group to analyse the impacts from climate change on its infrastructure and strategies to adapt it.
violating CRZ regulations (constructions took place in the 2 JNNURM has officially been closed as of April, 2015 and the
no-development zone). In 2014, the number increased to 26 scheme portfolio has been re-launched as Atal Mission for
hotels and around 27 hotels in rest of the 11 talukas violated Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
the CRZ regulations and received show-cause notices. The CRZ
violations ranged from constructions inside sea water, damage 3 The Planning Commission of India has been replaced by the
to the sand dunes, and so on. National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog as on
January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog will provide Governments at the
The violation of coastal regulations has destructive effect central and state levels with relevant strategic and technical
on the coastal ecosystems. Also, the infrastructure that is being advice across the spectrum of key elements of policy, this
built on these zones is highly vulnerable to extreme climate includes matters of national and international import on the
events like storm surges. While there is a need to spell out economic front, dissemination of best practices from within
design and locational considerations of infrastructure, it is the country as well as from other nations, the infusion of new
also required that these measures are integrated either in the policy ideas and specific issue-based support.
CRZ regulations or within the tourism development plans and
master plans of the cities, taking cognizance of CRZ notifications 4 http://www.pppinindia.com/pdf/guideline_scheme_IIPDF.pdf,
and restrictions imposed thereof. There is also a strong need last accessed on 22 June 2015.
for implementation and monitoring of the coastal regulations
considering the rampant violations of the notification. 5 Bebb, J. and Kersey, J. 2003.Potential impacts of climate
change on waste management, Bristol, UK: Environment
Conclusion Agency Technical Report X1-042. Available at gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_
This brief draws out possible entry points for integrating resilience data/file/290358/sx1-042-tr-e-e.pdf>last accessed on 22 June
measures onto the existing framework. The brief recognizes that 2015.
integration of resilience parameters in all types of infrastructure
in a city would need different financial regulatory and institutional 6 http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/
measures to be implemented for each infrastructure facility. energy.html. last accessed on 22 June 2015.
Some of the large infrastructure would already be planning for
environmental audits and considerations, although the capacity 7 The Notification has defined HTL as the line on the land up
and know-how to deal with climate events, particularly extreme to which the highest water line reaches during the spring tide.
climate events is largely weak and needs to be addressed. An HTL shall be demarcated uniformly in all parts of the country
overall systematic mechanism has to be developed to address by the demarcating authority or authorities so authorized
resilience of infrastructure services to climate impacts. by the Central Government in accordance with the general
guidelines issued in Annexure-I of the Notification.
Endnotes
8 HM Government. 2011. Climate resilient infrastructure:
1 ICLEI, 2011, Financing the resilient city: A demand driven preparing for a changing climate. Presented to Parliament
approach to development, disaster risk reduction and climate by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
adaptation—An ICLEI White paper, ICLEI Global report. Affairs by Command of Her Majesty London, UK: TSO
(The Stationery Office). Available at: https://www.gov.uk/
government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/
69269/climate-resilient-infrastructure-full.pdf. last accessed
on 22 June 2015.
JUNE 2015 7
Examples of International Action Undertaken to Adapt Infrastructure to Climate Change Impacts8
Country Action undertaken
Australia Infrastructure Australia* identified adaptable and secure water supplies to cope with climate change as one of seven key objectives.
Established a Climate Change Adaptation Infrastructure Project, which includes developing a standard‘climate change adaptation system for organizations’.
* Infrastructure Australia is a statutory authority of the federal government established under the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008. Its role is to plan and
co-ordinate infrastructure projects across Australia; its purview includes both road and public transport projects. The authority is part of the Department of
Infrastructure and Transport.
Canada Infrastructure Canada* considers adaptation in its funding programmes.
Applicants to the Canadian Strategic Infrastructure Fund are required to demonstrate how their project addresses climate change impacts and adaptation and
may be required to take certain measures to address these issues.
* Infrastructure Canada is the lead federal department responsible for infrastructure policy development and program delivery. It reports to Parliament and
Canadians through the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Denmark Road regulations and railway standards are being reviewed and revised with consideration of expected climate changes.
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency published guidelines in 2007 in order for municipalities to take climate change into account in connection with
construction and operation of sewage systems and sewer renovation.
Japan Issuing a series of documents on practical guidance on strategic climate change adaptation planning.
New Zealand National Infrastructure Plan (2010) identified the impacts of climate change as one of the long-term key trends that need to be addressed.
USA The Council on Environmental Quality has issued Implementing Instructions to be used by the Federal Government in climate change adaptation planning.
This includes federal adaptation planning to address the effects of climate change on Federal infrastructure assets.
California has established an infrastructure working group to analyse the impacts from climate change on its infrastructure and strategies to adapt it.
violating CRZ regulations (constructions took place in the 2 JNNURM has officially been closed as of April, 2015 and the
no-development zone). In 2014, the number increased to 26 scheme portfolio has been re-launched as Atal Mission for
hotels and around 27 hotels in rest of the 11 talukas violated Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
the CRZ regulations and received show-cause notices. The CRZ
violations ranged from constructions inside sea water, damage 3 The Planning Commission of India has been replaced by the
to the sand dunes, and so on. National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog as on
January 1, 2015. NITI Aayog will provide Governments at the
The violation of coastal regulations has destructive effect central and state levels with relevant strategic and technical
on the coastal ecosystems. Also, the infrastructure that is being advice across the spectrum of key elements of policy, this
built on these zones is highly vulnerable to extreme climate includes matters of national and international import on the
events like storm surges. While there is a need to spell out economic front, dissemination of best practices from within
design and locational considerations of infrastructure, it is the country as well as from other nations, the infusion of new
also required that these measures are integrated either in the policy ideas and specific issue-based support.
CRZ regulations or within the tourism development plans and
master plans of the cities, taking cognizance of CRZ notifications 4 http://www.pppinindia.com/pdf/guideline_scheme_IIPDF.pdf,
and restrictions imposed thereof. There is also a strong need last accessed on 22 June 2015.
for implementation and monitoring of the coastal regulations
considering the rampant violations of the notification. 5 Bebb, J. and Kersey, J. 2003.Potential impacts of climate
change on waste management, Bristol, UK: Environment
Conclusion Agency Technical Report X1-042. Available at
This brief draws out possible entry points for integrating resilience data/file/290358/sx1-042-tr-e-e.pdf>last accessed on 22 June
measures onto the existing framework. The brief recognizes that 2015.
integration of resilience parameters in all types of infrastructure
in a city would need different financial regulatory and institutional 6 http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/
measures to be implemented for each infrastructure facility. energy.html. last accessed on 22 June 2015.
Some of the large infrastructure would already be planning for
environmental audits and considerations, although the capacity 7 The Notification has defined HTL as the line on the land up
and know-how to deal with climate events, particularly extreme to which the highest water line reaches during the spring tide.
climate events is largely weak and needs to be addressed. An HTL shall be demarcated uniformly in all parts of the country
overall systematic mechanism has to be developed to address by the demarcating authority or authorities so authorized
resilience of infrastructure services to climate impacts. by the Central Government in accordance with the general
guidelines issued in Annexure-I of the Notification.
Endnotes
8 HM Government. 2011. Climate resilient infrastructure:
1 ICLEI, 2011, Financing the resilient city: A demand driven preparing for a changing climate. Presented to Parliament
approach to development, disaster risk reduction and climate by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
adaptation—An ICLEI White paper, ICLEI Global report. Affairs by Command of Her Majesty London, UK: TSO
(The Stationery Office). Available at: https://www.gov.uk/
government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/
69269/climate-resilient-infrastructure-full.pdf. last accessed
on 22 June 2015.
JUNE 2015 7
