Climate issues

Climate change and its consequences make urban climate adaptation essential to keep our towns and cities liveable for the future. European regulations provide a framework for modernising how cities deal with rainwater. On the one hand we have the challenge of processing large quantities of rainwater during heavy downpours. On the other hand, water must be retained in dry periods.

The most significant European regulations for combatting climate change in urban areas are the:

Water Framework Directive
Aims to safeguard the quality of groundwater and surface water. National and local authorities must limit and prevent pollution at source.

Flood Directive
These procedures imposed on provinces and local authorities are intended to prevent and limit the negative consequences of flooding. In addition, it stimulates measures for retention of water.

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
Has the aim of reducing pollution due to discharge of waste water. Government bodies must maintain sewage systems and manage rainwater runoff.

To combat the effects of climate change at local level, local situations are assessed and modifications made where necessary. In urban areas, it is becoming more common to instal sustainable solutions for capture, retention and infiltration of rainwater. The high levels of hard surfacing form one of the challenges in the urban environment.

Adding more greenspaces helps to counter the effects of climate change in urban areas. In places where vital functions such as living and transport have to be maintained, local capture and infiltration of rainwater is being chosen more frequently, as opposed to transporting rainwater in pipes for discharge to surface water. Capturing rainwater locally and allowing it to infiltrate reduces the risk of flooding during heavy showers and restores the natural water balance.

Sustainable urban water infiltration at a glance: