Dry summers, more days with heat and drought, as well as heavy rain and flood events during the same period: Water management is significantly affected by the consequences of climate change. To protect people and avoid ecological and economic damage, a strategy for adapting to these climate impacts is needed. On the one hand, water management must shoulder the challenges of adapting to the consequences of climate change; on the other hand, as an actor and operator of water-sensitive urban development and blue-green infrastructure, it can make a significant contribution to the climate future.
In recent years, a wide range of guidelines, action plans and catalogs of measures have already been developed by the federal and state governments. Theoretical foundations for the adaptation of urban areas to the consequences of climate change are thus available. However, despite existing support programs, there are still deficits in the practical implementation, since for the municipalities the integration of these tasks into the everyday administrative structures proves to be a challenge.
FiW offers support to municipalities in the form of external expert advice on how to deal with the topic of climate change adaptation with well-founded expertise. We accompany municipal adaptation processes from the conceptualization to the application for funding and the professional evaluation of the implementation.
FiW develops well-founded adaptation concepts for integrated water resource management and accompanies their implementation. Taking into account the climate changes to be expected in the future, solutions are being developed to ensure that the competing demands of water usage for water supply, agriculture, industry, commerce, ecosystems and tourism can be secured and fulfilled in the future in the sense of public services. To this end, FiW works, among other things, with geographical information systems, water balance assessments and various impact models to analyze climate impacts and damage potentials using climate forecasts and projections.
Together with a broad partner network from research and industry, concepts for adaptation to drought, heat, heavy rainfall and floods are developed in close coordination with the client and adapted to their specific needs. If necessary, science communication processes are also integrated to raise awareness and involve citizens among other relevant actors.