Download Norway_Survey EEA DDR and CCA

Question 1: CCA/DRR Integration
How is climate change adaptation currently integrated in the existing national and subnational
DRR plans, national risk assessments and relevant actions in your country (e.g. flood
management, forest fire protection, drought management, heat waves planning and storm
emergency planning)?
Norway's national risk assessment includes several scenarios for weather related disasters, including
large floods, rock slides, extreme wind, forest fires etc. It highlights how extreme weather events
affect vital services such as critical infrastructure, and potential threats to life and health.
The 428 municipalities in Norway are the local fundament of national disaster risk reduction. The
municipalities are responsible for the functioning of key public services and the coordination of these
before, during and after emergencies (e.g. local infrastructure, health services, care for the elderly and
other vulnerable populations, and information to the public). The main responsibility for preventive
planning and disaster management within their territorial borders lies with the municipalities.
The county governors, on behalf of the Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB), follow up and provide
guidance to the municipalities, and carry out audits to ensure the quality of their DRR work. Riskand vulnerability assessment (RVA), physical planning, emergency plans and exercises are the
cornerstones of disaster risk reduction at the local level. From 2010 municipalities are required by the
Civil Protection Act to establish systems for emergency prevention, preparedness and response.
Municipalities are required to carry out comprehensive RVA, covering both existing and future risks
(including climate change impacts), and covering both existing and planned buildings, installations
and infrastructure. According to the Planning and Building Act, they are also required to carry out
RVA in connection to new physical developments. A white paper on civil protection was presented
in 2012. It highlights the need to include climate change adaptation in DRR efforts.
Related to floods and land slides: Climate change adaptation is integrated in the national
recommendations for land use planning, mapping (flood inundation maps) and cost-benefit tools for
flood and land-slide mitigation measures.
Question 2: Good practices
What are in your opinion examples of good practices of integration and/or synergy of CCA and
DRR in your country? Both national and subnational examples (links and references) of
organizational and implementation practices are welcome.
The Norwegian Environment Agency supports the Ministry of Climate and the Environment in its
CCA- coordination work. The agency shall, in cooperation with relevant directorates, facilitate
climate change adaptation at local, regional and national level.
Norwegian Center for Climate Services was established in 2011. This centre launched in 2015 the
report Climate in Norway 2100. The report describes past, present and future climate, hydrology and
conditions in the ocean including e.g. precipitation, temperature, wind, river flow including floods
and droughts, snow, ocean acidification, sea ice and sea level rise. Projections are based on climate
projections from IPCCs 5th assessment report
(http://www.miljodirektoratet.no/no/Publikasjoner/2015/September-2015/Klima-i-Norge-2100/ (in
Norwegian only). Furthermore, the center is in possess of developing climate profile for each county
in Norway. For further information about Norwegian Center for Climate Services and the report
Climate in Norway 2100 , see presentation below.
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The national platform for disaster risk reduction (established 2011) has included climate change
adaptation in its work from its beginning. In 2016, the national platform has been reorganized and
will focus on the development and implementation of a national flood and landslide strategy. A joint
secretariat has been established (DSB, NVE, Norwegian Road Authority). The platform's work will
be based on results and recommendations from a cross-sectoral project on natural hazards, landslides,
floods and infrastructure (www.naturfare.no). See attached presentation about the NVE below.
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DSB's 2015 national survey to municipalities (answered by 90 per cent of the municipalities) shows
that 85 per cent have carried out comprehensive risk and vulnerability assessments (RVAs), and 93
per cent have an emergency plan. Even if some RVAs do not meet the requirements in the Civil
Protection Act, there is a positive trend. In general, large municipalities (cities, towns) are well on
track. Their RVAs are cross-sectoral, and cover both existing and future risks; 86 per cent of the
municipalities have included climate change impacts in their RVAs. RVAs provide a knowledge base
for societal planning at local level – the aim is that societal planning should enhance disaster
prevention. (Report is in Norwegian:
http://www.dsb.no/Global/Publikasjoner/2015/Rapport/KU_2015.pdf)
Furthermore, several authorities are responsible for various regulations regarding urban flooding and
the municipal management of such issues. The Environment Agency is responsible for having an
overview of the regulations regarding urban flooding, and this information is available on the website
www.miljøkommune.no In addition the Agency is responsible for administration of a climate
adaptation grant scheme, where municipalities may apply.
The largest cities are in the forefront of CCA (for example, through the 'Cities of the Future' project
www.framtidensbyer.no (ended in 2014)) and have developed methodologies and tools for
integrating CCA in urban planning, taking existing and future risks into account. The cities have
included CCA in spatial planning, and in plans for development of infrastructure and vital societal
functions. A follow up network among the 11 largest cities in Norway has been established and
continues the work providing new information, and developing new knowledge and expertise through
joint projects addressing CCA adaptation including DRR.
In order to ensure knowledge sharing and dissemination of results on various activities, the website
www. klimatilpasning.no on adaptation to climate change is maintained and further developed. The
website provides tools, case studies and information on climate change adaptation for practitioners
working in local governments. The website is a cooperation between several national directorates
including Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) (http://www.klimatilpasning.no/infosider/english/).
A pilot project in Troms County (2015), aimed to guide the municipalities in how to integrate
CCA efforts in social and spatial planning. The project partners were The County Governor in
Troms, The DSB, The Norwegian Met Office, The NVE and four municipalities in Troms. The
objective with the project was to get an overview of the existing knowledge base for Troms county –
i.e. existing knowledge, the legal basis (which legal acts and sections), existing guidelines and
directives, tools and resources useful and relevant for the municipalities in their CCA efforts. The
project was also a pilot for the Norwegian Climate Service Centre, giving input to what kind of data
the municipalities need and how to present the data in a way that is useful for them. As a result the of
the Troms-project was to develop a Climate Change County Profile. The Norwegian Climate Service
Centre will make similar profiles for every county in Norway.
https://klimaservicesenter.no/faces/desktop/article.xhtml?uri=klimaservicesenteret/klimaprofiler
One important task for the Norwegian Environment Agency is, together with the Directorate for Civil
Protection (DSB) and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), and in
dialogue with many other relevant directorates, to make a drafted version of central planning
guidelines. These guidelines will describe how the municipalities and counties can incorporate
climate change adaptation into their planning activities according to the plan and building act.
Through the EEA Grants scheme (http://eeagrants.org/), Norwegian authorities such as the
Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB), the Norwegian Environment Agency, the Norwegian Water
Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), and the county governors have contributed to the
development and implementation of national CCA strategies in other European countries.
Norway has also enhanced the inclusion of CCA in international efforts on DRR such as the
European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (see report:
https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/35277) and in the Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Question 3: Views on new EEA 2017 CCA/DRR report
What specific topics could the EEA 2017 CCA/DRR report cover in order to support the
respective activities at national or subnational level in your country?
 Best practice examples