Climate change adaptation in small municipalities: Empirical findings on local flood risk governance in Upper Bavaria and lessons for Germany

Abstract

Local governments have a key role to play in governing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation on the ground. Whereas flood prevention has traditionally focused primarily on riverine flood hazards for which the federal authorities of water management are mainly responsible, the responsibility for pluvial flood risk management has been designated to the municipal level (LAWA 2018). For many municipalities, this is a rather new and challenging task.

Formal local measures such as evacuation planning, risk communication or flood-sensitive land use planning need to be tailor-fit to local circumstances but are also limited by the resources and capacities of local governments and bureaucracies. At the same time, there is an ongoing re-arrangement of roles and responsibilities in managing flood risks: Pluvial flood risk management is framed as a collaborative task and responsibilities should be shared between the (local) state as well as residents and market actors (LAWA 2018). Consequently, municipalities must find new ways of risk communication and collaboration with their citizens.

This paper analyses the status quo of climate adaptation and pluvial flood risk governance in small and medium-sized local authorities in Upper Bavaria (Oberland region), Germany. It draws on results from a recent survey with around 70 municipalities as well as interviews and workshops with stakeholders. The study focuses on the role of local governments in flood risk governance and the division of tasks and responsibilities between government, market stakeholders and civil society.

Our findings reveal that most small municipalities neither follow an overall strategic approach for climate change adaptation and pluvial flood risk management nor do they inform the public about existing risks or collaborate with citizens in a systematic way. Strikingly, there is a strong – and growing – gap between the perceived rise in extreme weather events and action towards adaptation measures. In explaining this gap, most municipalities name the lack of resources in terms of qualified personnel and financial support, the administration’s lack of actionable knowledge on measures, unclear responsibilities as well as legal uncertainties and uncertainties on how to include citizens in risk management practices.

The findings provide important signposts for improved climate change adaptation particularly in small and resource-constrained municipalities, which are in comparison to big cities heavily under-researched and hence far less well understood. To support municipalities, we recommend establishing (1) improved and standardized climate service information (e.g. risk maps as instruments for risk communication), (2) a clearer legal backing and guidance for local adaptation initiatives in relation to risk sharing instruments, (3) a clearer communication of upcoming limits of communal climate change adaptation, and (4) a more intensive exchange between municipalities.