The Strategic Goals of the Capital Region
In 2024, the Regional Council of the Capital Region of Denmark adopted a new regional development strategy. Among its objectives, the strategy sets the focus on working towards the creation of a climate-resilient region by means of collaboration across municipal and regional boundaries. The Regional Council has emphasized the need to ensure the Capital Region of Denmark is prepared to cope with current and future climate change impacts. Regional climate adaptation projects should strive to generate recreational value and incorporate nature-based solutions for the sake of the region’s citizens and natural environment.
Read the Regional Development Strategy 2024 (in Danish)
Holistic Regional Climate Adaptation
Creating a resilient climate region is a complex challenge that demands expertise, extensive collaboration across institutions and stakeholders, and a robust economy capable of supporting adaptation investments. Furthermore, it also requires space, which in a highly populated region like ours, is a precious and scarce resource. It becomes also important to acknowledge that climate adaptation initiatives, much like other development projects, can unintentionally impact our environment, emphasizing the importance of a holistic regional approach to climate adaptation.
A holistic approach to climate adaptation entails ensuring that all projects and strategic efforts are undertaken in partnership with stakeholders who can contribute to solutions or are invested in the outcomes. This approach also involves addressing adaptation challenges that transcend administrative boundaries, weather local, regional, or international. At the same time, we strive to enhance our understanding of climate change by collaborating closely with research and educational institutions. These collective efforts are aimed at benefiting the municipalities and future inhabitants of the Capital Region of Denmark.
Partnerships for climate adaptation
Together with municipalities, utility companies, businesses and knowledge institutions, the Capital Region of Denmark has initiated and supports several initiatives focusing on disaster prevention, emergency management and political dialogue among others. Each of these initiatives contribute to the creation of a resilient climate region.
The projects we are currently working on are listed below.
Directed
Enhancing the ability to respond to extreme weather events by providing tailored information to the different stakeholders involved in emergency response efforts and long-term climate adaptation.
More information available here.
Interlayer
Building up resilience to hydro-climatic events such as drought and flooding while simultaneously preserving water availability and quality in rivers and groundwater reserves by means of concrete landscape and nature-based solutions.
Klimatilpasning på tværs
Developing new solutions to well-known barriers within climate adaptation. The project focused on climate adaptation along coastlines and streams zooming in on four main topics: Financing, collaboration across administrative borders, stakeholder engagement and resource allocation as well as distribution.
Regions4Climate
Creating socially just and climate-resilient regions by connecting concrete solutions to current climate challenges. The Danish case focuses on social resilience along Køge Bay through the use of augmented reality, stakeholder engagement and the promotion of multipurpose coastal landscapes. More information available here.