Mainstreaming private climate adaptation

Abstract

Climate change adaptation is needed in response to the extreme weather events such as heat waves and rainfall-induced flooding in the Netherlands. There is a mandate from the national government to become climate- and water-proof by 2050, and the onus is on local governments to fulfill these goals. Local governments, in turn, need to activate stakeholders in their networks to become more climate adaptive. This research focuses on one group in particular, businesses located on business parks. Via the Q-methodology, fourteen businesses are interviewed and their perspectives with respect to the need and urgency for, as well as, the costs and benefits of climate adaptation are documented, analyzed, and interpreted, resulting in a typology of business perspectives on climate change adaptation. Specific recommendations for government are presented based on this more nuanced understanding of the motivations and barriers businesses face. Specifically, subsidy is largely rejected, the role of regulation remains important for some, and for all, the real risks and practical solutions are needed, which is viewed as the role of government to communicate.