Part-financed
by the European Union

Climate change adaptation options in city planning, case Pyynikki-Epilä esker - BaltCICA Tampere Case Study Workshop

18^th of October 2011, Tampere, Finland

A stakeholder workshop for city planning experts, organized by the BaltCICA teams of City of Tampere and GTK, took place on 18^th of October in Tampere. The main purpose of the workshop was to identify risks of climate change and adaptation options in the Tampere case study area, Pyynikki-Epilä esker.

There were 24 participants in the workshop, most of them representing different municipal sectors (detailed planning, municipal planning, environmental protection and environmental health) of City of Tampere. Representatives from the local Environmental Center, from Tampere Central Regional office and a storm water expert from FCG Finnish Consulting Group were also present.

An afternoon workshop started with short presentations about the regional adaptation strategy work by Kaisu Anttonen, Head of Environmental Policy (City of Tampere), about the local ground water protection plan and storm water management programme by Maria Åkerman, Water Management Engineer  (City of Tampere), about the geology of the Tampere BaltCICA case study by Hilkka Kallio, geologists (Geological Survey of Finland, GTK) and implications for land use by Kari Hietala, Head of Planning Services (Tampere Infrastructure Production) .

After the presentations, the participants engaged in group work and discussed about topics “ground water and soil”, “precipitation, floods and built environment”, “storm water management” and “information and co-operation”.  All groups had the same questions to answer: What are the main risks? What are the adaptation options and measures? Who is a stakeholder? What are the means of information and co-operation? After an hour’s work results of the discussions were presented to others.

The groups in the workshop concluded, that the main risks on the esker area are related to changes in ground water balance and quality, increasing storm water and sensitivity of the artesian ground water areas. Adaptation measures are e.g. storm water management and restrictions on land use (building, digging) on artesian ground water areas.

Summary of the group work (in finnish).

For more information: Special planner Ulla Tiilikainen, Urban Development, City of Tampere, ulla.tiilikainen(at)tampere.fi