relation: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3443/
title: Coastal flood resilience and socio-spatial justice of urban deltas by means of Ecosystem Services. Comparative study of initiatives in Rīga and Rotterdam.
creator: Danenberga, Annija
description: Many coastal delta cities worldwide face increasing flood risk due to the changing climate of extreme river discharges and sea-level rise. Previous research has shown growing awareness that the increasing vulnerability of urbanised delta and coastal cities is strongly related to urbanisation, changing socio-economic conditions and the low-lying geological position. Consequently, in response to climate change, adaptation to existing urban environments is required to cope with flood risk. The thesis investigates how spatial planning strategies address flood-resilience by means of Ecosystem Services (ES) and whether it also improves socio-spatial conditions. This research applies a framework of Ecosystem Services Justice (ESJF) to assess adaptation pathways across spatial and temporal scales in a multi-city comparative study between European coastal urban deltas of Rotterdam and Riga. In this view, urbanised coastal areas are understood as a complex adaptive system, influenced by external pressures, such as climate and demographic change, and by the urban planning interventions. The ESJF is structured as an empirical approach applying spatial analysis for distributional, procedural and recognition dimensions of ES justice, acknowledging the importance of institutional governance, the infrastructure within the built environment and people’s perceptions. The results were strengthened by literature and policy report analysis and semi-structured interviews, targeted at experts in the spatial planning field. The comparative research study showed that spatial adaptation strategies of ES are approached in both cases with respect to coastal riverine flooding, but larger differences are noticed to what extent ES are applied across different time frames or when addressing socio-spatial justice dimensions.
date: 2021
type: Thesis
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: text
language: en
identifier: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3443/1/BP2021_Danenberga.pdf
identifier:   Danenberga, Annija  (2021) Coastal flood resilience and socio-spatial justice of urban deltas by means of Ecosystem Services. Comparative study of initiatives in Rīga and Rotterdam.  Bachelor thesis.