KlimaSicher – Identification, activation and consulting of companies dealing with climate change adaption

 

Background

Common efforts to face climate change are inevitable. Not only climate mitigation is a potential strategy but also climate adaption. Especially the latter is a new field of action which developed slowly throughout the past years although the impacts of climate change (heat waves, heavy rain floodings) are already perceptible. Climate-induced extreme weather events can result into high personal and economic cost.

Especially in central Europe are a high density of economic activities located and therefore endangered by heavy rain events or storms. Subsequently there are not only workspaces but also operational value added, household revenues and losses of tax revenues on different administrative levels are threatened by current developments due to climate change.

 

Project Goal

This project wants to contribute to a better climate adaption of companies. First the relevant data considering climate change impacts in the three regional case studies will be analyzed. The focus of the analysis lies on the company sites and their potential vulnerability.

To increase the motivation and awareness of companies to participate in the project, new communication models will be developed. Furthermore, workshops offer an in-situ consulting for the participating companies. In this setting the companies will be informed about climate adaptation strategies and enhanced to take suitable measurements.

Moreover, a checklist will contain important sources of information and consulting offers in the field of climate impact assessment. Thus the outcome of the “KlimaSicher” project will be transferrable to any other region in Northrhine-Westfalia.

 

Contents and Structure of the Project

The project consists of nine work packages that relate to each other. The project partners work in different constellations on the work packages to produce results.

• Work package 1: Empiric analysis of the vulnerability of company sites (coordination by Institut of Urban and Transport Planning (RWTH Aachen University))
• Work package 2: Empiric analysis of motives and impediments of business actors as a base for the development of communication models (coordination by Institute of Marketing (TU Dortmund))
• Work package 3: Development of a strategy for activation or marketing (coordination by Institute of Marketing (TU Dortmund))
• Work package 4: Addressing and motivating companies to participate in the consulting project “KlimaSicher” (coordination by Regional state-owned economic development agencies Soest, Warendorf, Siegen and Lippstadt))
• Work package 5: Production of moduls in terms of content and didactics for the “KlimaSicher”-Workshops (coordination by Institut of Urban and Transport Planning (RWTH Aachen University))
• Work package 6: Conduction of the “KlimaSicher”-Workshops in the participating regions (coordination by the project manager)
• Work package 7: In-situ consulting in the companies by visiting researchers (coordination by the project manager)
• Work package 8: Evaluation of the project approach (all project partners are involved)
• Work package 9: Transfer phase (all project partners are involved)

In the context of this project companies will be addressed with the topic of climate adaptation for the first time. Due to the intense collaboration of researchers and administration staff the outcome of the project is very specific and implementation- orientated. Because oft he participation at the Workshops the companies will be enabled to take steps toward a future leading climate adaption. That way they will also ensure a stable and safe future for their company sites and added value.

 

Funding

REGIO.NRW "Innovation and Transfer"

In the funding priority area/EFRE-measurement area: Cluster, Innovation and Competence networks (European Regional Development Fund)

 

Projekt Partners

• Institute of Marketing (TU Dortmund)
• County Soest
• County Warendorf
• County Siegen-Wittgenstein

 

Duration

03.2020-05.2022

 

Contacts

Project management: Frank Hockelmann, Kreis Soest

Dr. Andreas Witte +49 (0)241 80-25202
Simon Hein, M.Sc. +49(0)241 80-26215