Specific Targets of Prague´s Climate Change Adaptations Strategy
TARGET A
Adaptations to increasing temperatures, urban heat island and heat waves
Specific target
Enhance microclimatic conditions in Prague and reduce the negative impacts of extreme temperatures, heat waves and urban heat island on Prague inhabitants
A brief description of projected climate change impacts
In Prague, mean annual air temperature has for long term been increasing and climate models project an increase in the tropical day number (Tmax > 30 0C) as well as in tropical night number (Tmin > 20 0C). For more details, see the study Analysis and projection of climate change impacts in Prague, CzechGlobe (2016) available at www.portalzp.eu.
Vulnerability and challenges
Increase in vulnerability of citizens, as shown in Chapter 3.1., can be expected particularly in the Prague downtown (i.e. Prague 1, Prague 2, Prague 3, Prague 4, Prague 7, Prague 10 and Prague 11 city districts). At the same time, higher sensitivity to heat wave impacts is more pronounced there, driven by 20 higher proportion of the population older than 65 years and of built-up areas within the individual quarters. Suitably selected and well-located adaptation measures can enhance heat comfort, mitigate adverse impacts on human health and thus improve human well-being also in other city´s densely built-up areas.
Proposed measures
Below proposed measures A.4.1 to A.4.7. for adaptation to increase in temperatures, urban heat island and heat waves are interlinked and positively influence also meeting the Specific target B (Reduce extreme hydrological event impacts, i.e. torrential floods, floods and longterm droughts on the Capital City of Prague´s territory as well as in the adjacent landscape in the Prague Metropolitan Area).
A.1 Enhance the city´s microclimatic conditions by multi-functional green infrastructure
A.2 Take into account climate change adaptations in planning and background study elaboration
A.3 Establish and restore vegetation components in the city
A.4 Provide unified street greenery and alleys management
A.5 Create the conditions for suburban and urban agriculture development as a climate change adaptation
A.6 Enhance ecological stability/ecosystem health and self-restoration/recovery ability in the landscape
A.7 Use technological and ecosystem measures to reduce solar radiation accumulation in built-up areas
TARGET B
Adaptation measures to reduce impacts of torrential rainfalls, floods and long-term drought on the Capital City of Prague´s territory
Specific target
Reduce extreme hydrological event impacts, i.e. torrential floods, floods and long-term droughts on the Capital City of Prague´s territory as well as in the adjacent landscape in the Prague Metropolitan Area
Brief description of projected climate change impact in hydrological cycle
Torrential rainfalls and changes in rainfall distribution – Floods – Drought and soil & underground water loss
Vulnerability and challenges
Vulnerability to floods and Vulnerability to drought periods
Recommended measures
B.1 Flood prevention and control on the Vltava and Berounka rivers and on other watercourses on the Capital City of Prague´s territory
B.2 Enhancing rainfall water management
B.3 Implementation of measures aiming at slowing surface water runoff from the landscape and erosion prevention
B.4 Continuous changing paved water impermeable surfaces into water permeable and semipermeable ones
B.5 Continuing integrated restoration of floodplains, watercourses and reservoirs
B.6 Testing possibilities of the current water management infrastructure and providing citizens with drinking water
B.7 Enhancing landscape permeability and its use in recreation/leisure
TARGET C
Adaptation measures to reduce energy performance in Prague incl. adaptations in buildings
Specific target
Reduce energy performance in Prague and enhance adaptations in buildings
Description of the issue
The most important climate change adverse effects Prague has to be prepared to include an increase in mean annual outdoor air temperature, tropical day and night number and heat waves as well as in length in their continuous periods. In addition, they have been amplified by the urban heat effect on the Capital City of Prague´s territory. Changes in perception total and in particularly rainfall distribution in space and time is another important climate change pattern, causing on one hand lengthening drought periods and increase in torrential flood frequency on the other hand. Therefore, the Capital City of Prague should enhance public space improvements as well as civil engineering and technological measures in buildings, because that is where its inhabitants spend most of their time.
Vulnerability and challenges
Buildings consume approx. 40% of the total energy: thus, they are responsible for about one third of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, reducing energy performance in buildings is a step to of the city´s enhanced resistance and reducing its ecological footprint: at the same time, it is an important climate change mitigation measure. The current legislation, namely Act 406/2000 Gazette on Energy Management, as amended later, aims at energy balance of new building-up that can be specified by the Capital City of Prague´s own building regulations.
Proposed measures
C.1 Reducing energy performance in Prague
C.2 Enhancing adapting buildings in Prague
C.3 Implementing sustainable building-up
C.4 Enhancing rainfall water management in buildings taking into account cultural heritage conservation and built-up types
C.5 Enhancing measures to reduce solar radiation absorption
C.6 Providing legal, technological and organizational support to application of climate change adaptation measures in practice
TARGET D
Adaptation measures in risk management and providing citizens with safety
Specific target
Enhance preparedness in risk prevention and management
Description of the issue
Extreme meteorological events affect human health and the environment as well as other factors. For minimizing the extreme events, climate change measures should aim in the way they are able to quickly and effectively response and to maximally protect human lives, health and properties of citizens, the environment and the infrastructure.
Challenges
As regards the projected higher frequency in extreme meteorological events (sudden and acute torrential rainfalls, floods, droughts, hear waves, etc.), enhance communication with citizens so that preparedness for handling extraordinary events, risks and hazards is higher in all the citizen groups.
Proposed measures
D.1 Enhance technological infrastructure resistance
D.2 Develop security and protection of citizens and their properties
D.3 Enhancing risk management
TARGET E
Adaptation measures in sustainable mobility
Specific target
Enhance conditions for sustainable mobility in Prague
Description of the issue
Car transport/motor traffic, particularly gas and diesel engine cars is an important air pollution source as well as source of anthropogenic heat in Prague. In the extreme temperature/heat wave periods, there are other chemical reactions increasing harmful pollutant levels in the air and negatively affecting human health.
Challenges
One of the tasks set by the Capital City of Prague´s Sustainable Mobility Plan having been under preparation is reducing emissions from transport and enhancing the city public transport. Another possibility is enhancing electromobility and hiking & bicycle transport, which are the most advantageous from a point of view of climate change mitigation.
Proposed measures
The above measures will be included into Capital City of Prague´s Sustainable Mobility Plan.
TARGET F
Adaption measures in communication, education and public awareness/environmental education
Specific target
Enhance conditions in communication, education and public awareness/environmental education, support monitoring of and research on climate change impacts
Description of the issue
Communication, education and public awareness (hereinafter CEPA) aim at acquiring knowledge, skills and habits, forming a hierarchy of values and lifestyle necessary for environmental protection ad sustainable development at local and global scale.
In cooperation with other bodies, the Capital City of Prague Municipal Office implements the Capital City of Prague´s key projects on CEPA. They include educational projects and field trips for primary and high schools, educational projects for teachers, a project on support to eco-councelling, a campaign on the Earth Day, CEPA regional conferences or developing public relation materials for the general public.
Challenges
At present, CEPA aims at nature conservation and environmental protection. Moreover, it should also to include climate change causes and impacts having been considered the most important global threat. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance communication and education on policy strategies, concepts and programmes on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Green infrastructure healthy ecosystems play a significant role in climate change mitigation. General awareness of green infrastructure importance and healthy ecosystems and ecosystem services provided by them has to be enhanced by better communication, particularly on appropriate green infrastructure conservation, protection and management not only in relation to climate change.
In addition awareness of natural patterns in the landscape among the general public, particularly on water retention ability, supplying underground waters and mitigating transition periods between drought and rains, should be also enhanced. The public has to be informed on friendly management of water resources, both underground and surface ones, using rainfall/storm water, etc.
Proposed measures
F.1 Enhance communication and education on and awareness of the environment
F.2 Enhance providing information in the public health and sanitation sector
F.3 Enhance science, research & development and innovation in the field of climate change
