Dilemmas in Statutory Urban Planning When Addressing the Climate Adaptation Implementation Gap: Insights from Six European Cities

Gemma García-Blanco (), Saioa Zorita, Maria Wirth, Magdalena Biernacka and Pedro José Lozano
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Gemma García-Blanco: TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Tecnológico de Vizcaya, Astondo Bidea Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Spain
Saioa Zorita: TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Tecnológico de Vizcaya, Astondo Bidea Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Spain
Maria Wirth: Climate Lab., Alchemia Nova, Research and Innovation, 1090 Wien, Austria
Magdalena Biernacka: Social-Ecological Systems Analysis Lab., Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, 90-136 Lodz, Poland
Pedro José Lozano: Department of Geography, Prehistory and Archeology, EHU University of Basque Country, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-33

Abstract: As the climate crisis intensifies, the urgency of climate adaptation is becoming increasingly evident, if not imperative. Adaptation efforts often fall short in implementation, revealing a critical gap in climate-responsive planning. This study investigates the potential of statutory urban planning instruments to enable climate adaptation and bridge the adaptation implementation gap. To tackle this challenge, we introduce the BRIDGE framework, operationalized using an indicator-based screening tool that integrates three dimensions of the planning practice—substantive, procedural, and contextual—with three foundational pillars—agility, robustness, and legal certainty—complemented by three adaptive planning factors—complexity, uncertainty, and flexibility. The tool was pilot-tested in six European cities to screen the capacity of recently approved land use plans to enable climate adaptation implementation. The findings confirm that the consideration of uncertainty is overlooked, as well as the ongoing assessment and tracking of risks and adaptive measures. These setbacks potentially hamper institutions’ ability to respond to evolving climate conditions and undermines the legal embedding of adaptation measures. Ultimately, this study reinforces the need to strengthen context-specific and scientifically grounded planning decisions, enable procedural and legal flexibility, and balance the tensions between strategic vision and regulatory enforcement of adaptation.

Keywords: spatial planning; statutory urban planning; climate adaptation; adaptive planning; resilience; uncertainty; flexibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:12:p:2304-:d:1801158

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