Booklet on climate adaptation policy in Rotterdam-South:
Heatwaves, droughts, and floods: Rotterdam must prepare for the consequences of climate change, which will become increasingly felt in the coming years. What does this mean for residents of vulnerable neighborhoods in Rotterdam-South? Researchers collected their stories in Where We Stand. “With this booklet, we want to make the voices of residents heard.”
In the reading corner of the community center De Hillevliet, a microphone is passed around. A diverse blend of local residents, scientists, and other attendees take turns reading passages from Where We Stand: Exploring Inequalities in Climate Adaptation Policy.
A call for inclusion
The book advocates for greater involvement of residents in climate adaptation policies. This is still lacking, the authors say. In Rotterdam-South, where many neighborhoods are vulnerable to heat stress, flooding and other climate risks, the city’s ambitious policies sometimes have unintended negative consequences for local communities.
Gentrification is one such unintended effect: while green initiatives and urban renewal projects may make neighborhoods more climate-resilient, they also drive up housing prices and living costs. As a result, vulnerable groups are at risk of displacement to more affordable but less climate-resilient areas. “While wealthier groups can often afford to adapt or move away from climate risks, those with fewer resources may be trapped in increasingly hazardous environments,” the authors explain.
An unplanned outcome
Where We Stand emerged from a research project by scientists from TU Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Maastricht University. They engaged residents from four neighborhoods in Rotterdam-South in their research: Bloemhof, Hillesluis, Feyenoord and Afrikaanderwijk. Through workshops, they explored residents’ experiences, knowledge, and needs concerning climate adaptation policies.
“The book wasn’t originally planned,” says researcher Audrey Esteban (Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft). “While it is not an academic publication, it is informed by scientific academic research methods. For us, it’s a way of giving something back to the residents who participated in our workshops. We want to amplify their voices.”
About the Book
The book Where We Stand: Exploring Inequalities in Climate Adaptation Policy can be downloaded here with password: 177760.
Authors: Patricia Enriquez, Liona Li, Audrey Esteban, and Mahardhika Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad.
About the Research
The Where We Stand research project is part of the Kick-Starter program of the Resilient Delta initiative. Read a recent academic article on the project below.
Lead Researchers: Dr. Theresa Audrey O. Esteban & Dr. Mahardhika Sjamsoe’oed Sadjad.
Research Team: Patricia Luzano Enriquez, Thijs Heijmeskamp, Liona Li & Rea Dervishaj.
Where We Stand: Risk Perceptions on Changing Neighborhoods in South Rotterdam
This article was first published in the Atlantis Magazine in December 2024. A magazine of the Master students at the Faculty of Architecture, Delft University of Technology.
