SOLidarity in climate change Adaptation policies: towards more socio-spatial justice in the face of multiple RISks (SOLARIS)

SOLARIS focuses on social-spatial injustices of Climate Change Adaptation Policies (CCAP). SOLARIS aims to fill the gap in analysis of social justice in relation to climate change adaptation policies. SOLARIS has both scientific and societal objectives and outcomes. It aims to develop conceptual and analytical approaches to reveal social justice perspectives of CCAPs and explore the policy and decision-making process for a large range of stakeholders (e.g. policy-makers, practitioners, citizens etc.) to facilitate better participatory processes.

SOLARIS focuses on flood prevention, the accommodation of water to reduce impacts and flood preparation and recovery. A case study approach will be adopted (2 per country) to analyse cases which have implemented, or which are in the process of implementing climate change adaptation policies. This approach permits the study of ongoing participation as well as exampling the socio-spatial inequalities that may only be revealed post-implementation.

Based on multi-disciplinary research from four countries (Belgium, England, Finland, France), the SOLARIS project addresses two questions: 1) How can we assess and map socio-spatial inequalities related to the implementation of climate change adaptation policies? 2) How are inequalities addressed by adaptation policies?

SOLARIS addresses adaptation to climate change through revealing injustice and need for solidarity. It also aims to assess the public participation of citizens during the design and implementation of CCAP planning instruments in the case of flood risk strategies and how these processes impact on the distribution of outcomes.