KAROLIINA PILLI-SIHVOLA

Helsinki - The most functional city in the

world despite weather and climate change:Realism or utopia?

@kpillisihvola

HAZARD VULNERABILITY EXPOSUREPOTENTIAL

IMPACTS

KEY ECONOMIC RISK AND HOW TO ADAPT

URBAN AND SEA FLOODINGLand use planning and urbangreen

Photo:RAMBOLL

KEY HEALTH RISK AND ADAPTATION

HEAT-RELATED CHALLENGESElderly care during heat waves, hospital preparedness

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Kesän 2010 helleaalto heinäkuussa lisäsi kuolleiden lukumäärää HUSin alueella

Yli 75v Kaikki Yli 75v - 7vrk:n liukuva keskiarvo Kaikki - 7vrk:n liukuva keskiarvo T vrk:n ylin

Summer 2010 increased excess mortality; approx. 30-40 in Helsinki

© REIJA RUUHELA

BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND CHANGEConstant monitoring and speciesvariation

CROSS-BORDER IMPACTSEnsure security of supply and prepare for migration

NEW RISKS WITH MORE UNCERTAINTY –

MONITORING AND ADAPTATION NEEDED

HELSINKI IS ADAPTING

HOWEVER, CHALLENGES REMAIN

Helsinki - The most functional city in the world

despite weather and climate change:

Realism or utopia?DEPENDS ON, INTER ALIA

• How and how fast the climate will change and what are the impacts

• How seriously

• urban planners take the increasing risk

• other authorities take the increasing risk – so that it’s not only the environmental and

water management sectors talking about it

• property developers take the increasing risk

• citizens take the increasing risk

• Socio-economic development of the city

• Priorities and other threats the city is facing – although holistic risk management will

contribute to improved climate change adaptation

• And probably many other factors I haven’t considered

CRITICAL ISSUES, LESSONS LEARNT AND WAYS

FORWARD

• Even in the Nordic countries, socio-economic vulnerability matters

• Flooding considered the most threatening hazard, yet affects infrastructure and

wealthy citizens

• Heat waves increase excess mortality rate but are of less priority

• Urbanization plays a major role in the increasing risk posed by climate change

• Many risks have major uncertainties and require constant monitoring

• Climate Change Adaptation, incl preparedness for weather events, needs to be integrated

in decision making in all urban sectors

KAROLIINA PILLI-SIHVOLA @kpillisihvola