Adapting to extreme weather in Norwegian municipalities

Local authorities in Norway have varying abilities to deal with climate-related extremes, such as floods, storms, landslides, and avalanches. Yet preparing for the likelihood of climate-driven extreme events and developing response strategies are primarily tasks for municipalities. Examples of recent, major weather events are the hurricane in northwest Norway in 1992 and the flood in eastern Norway in 1995. The Klima Strategic Institute Program focuses on adapting to extreme weather in municipalities. The main objective is to provide a resource website to aid municipalities in facing the challenges of extreme weather and other climate-driven challenges. The research carried out through the program is improving such knowledge and is providing an overview of the challenges municipalities face, particularly in terms of storms leading to extreme precipitation and floods but also slower changes such as to humidity and runoff. The focus is on the possible effects on drinking water, cultural heritage, and the natural environment especially floods. The work analyses how new and updated knowledge in these realms affects policy formation at the municipal level. Factors on how municipalities deal with this type of knowledge are assessed, with especial focus on the interplay amongst institutional structures and frameworks at the national, regional, and municipal levels. Several specific case study municipalities are being selected for interviews, and summary fact sheets are being prepared in Norwegian on the findings which are posted to this website.