Inclusive Climate Resilience in the City of The Hague

A growing density of grey infrastructure and populations in urban areas has created artificial climates that lack the natural ability to regulate rising temperatures, absorb stormwater, and maintain biodiversity. To counter this concerning trend, policy-making at all levels has begun prioritizing the enhancement of climate resilience through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBSs), which aim to mimic the natural ecosystem services that are being diminished. These can be implemented in the already existing stock of buildings and help alleviate the many climate stressors that urban citizens face. Given the large proportion of homeowners in these areas, citizen participation in these solutions has become increasingly important. It is crucial that citizen participation is kept inclusive of all income groups in order to protect the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and to prevent the exacerbation of social inequality. This paper seeks to uncover how the citizen...Show moreA growing density of grey infrastructure and populations in urban areas has created artificial climates that lack the natural ability to regulate rising temperatures, absorb stormwater, and maintain biodiversity. To counter this concerning trend, policy-making at all levels has begun prioritizing the enhancement of climate resilience through the implementation of nature-based solutions (NBSs), which aim to mimic the natural ecosystem services that are being diminished. These can be implemented in the already existing stock of buildings and help alleviate the many climate stressors that urban citizens face. Given the large proportion of homeowners in these areas, citizen participation in these solutions has become increasingly important. It is crucial that citizen participation is kept inclusive of all income groups in order to protect the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and to prevent the exacerbation of social inequality. This paper seeks to uncover how the citizen-led implementation of one particular NBS, namely green roofs, are being inclusively promoted in the city of The Hague. Through statistical analyses of secondary data, map analyses, and qualitative analyses of survey and interview answers, my research finds that since green roofs are primarily installed in higher-income areas, it is crucial for the municipality to promote these technologies among lower-income residents. However, it becomes clear that the current subsidisation scheme is insufficient at undertaking this task due to its insufficient ability to remove both economic and knowledge barriers. The paper concludes by offering potential solutions, such as a restructured incentive scheme and increased campaigning, to improve the municipality’s approach to inclusive resilience-enhancement.Show less

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Inclusive Climate Resilience in the City of The Hague