Developing an Integrative Theoretical Framework for Climate Proofing Spatial Planning across Sectors, Policy Levels, and Planning Areas

Spatial planning holds a key role in preventing or mitigating the impacts of climate change on both cities and rural areas, taking a forward-thinking and holistic approach to urban and regional development. As such, spatial planning deals with challenges occurring at different scales and across sectors. The international literature points out the need for horizontal and vertical cooperation to tackle climate change impacts. This paper discusses the general challenges for climate proofing across planning levels, sectors, and areas and provides a systematic overview of challenges that would affect an integrative theoretical framework for climate proofing. Based on the latter, the study ultimately aims at presenting a novel theoretical framework for Climate Proofing specific to spatial planning involving a multi-sectoral perspective. An iterative process was used for conceptual development, based on a literature review followed by external feedback meetings with the core team of planning experts responsible for exchange across federal states and two workshops with focus groups of experts of planning departments responsible for federal, regional, and local spatial planning. Implementation and further development of the framework are planned as the second phase of this study. By specifically addressing the challenges relating to cross-regional and cross-sectoral planning, this novel framework attempts to discuss the (i) consideration of the hierarchy of climate proofing measures through enhanced vertical and horizontal cooperation as well as the (ii) long-term institutionalisation of integrative planning processes across planning borders. It attempts also to (iii) foster the consideration of co-benefits for joint adaptation purposes and climate change mitigation through encouraging multi-disciplinary perspective