Author(s): Carmen Lopez-Fabara; Nivedha Elango; Renaat De Sutter; Annick De Winter; Frank Serpentier; Jeroen Van Waeyenberge; Peter Ratinckx
Linked Author(s): Carmen Elena López Fabara
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The effects and impacts of climate change are increasingly evident in Flanders. The persisting drought experienced during the summer of 2020 or the flood events in the summer of 2021, resulted in significant damage to both populated areas and biodiversity (KU Leuven, 2022). As part of the Flemish adaptive plan, the Department of Mobility of Belgium has initiated efforts to promote climate-adaptive and climate-neutral buildings and transportation infrastructure. Seine-Schelde Flanders is a large-scale inland shipping project that aims to make inland shipping a fully-fledged alternative to road freight transport, which results in less traffic, safety, and a cleaner environment, decreasing CO2 emissions. In addition to promoting inland shipping, the project encompasses riverbank redevelopment, encourages recreational activities both on and along the water, and contributes to urban renewal. Considering the scale of the project and to achieve the aforementioned goals, a strategic approach is necessary, for integrating climate-proofing considerations into every stage of the project. This approach ensures the development and design of projects with minimal carbon footprints and the mitigation of risks from the project's inception. To this end, our primary aim was to formulate a strategy and practical guidelines enabling project management to effectively assess and incorporate climate resilience measures into the project and its components from the project design.
Year: 2024