Developing the Maarkebeek valley vision to inform future adaptation: Ex-post testing of the planning process using STAR2Cs solution

Significant parts of East-Flanders are vulnerable to flooding, with integrated flood risk management part of the Province’ core work. As a regional authority, The Province of East Flanders is responsible for the management of a number of watercourses in its territory and has expertise in spatial/environmental planning. Climate adaptation is increasingly an essential part of these decision-making processes in the development of local spatial and environmental policy.

In this pilot, the STAR2Cs solution will be tested in an area that has already developed a vision and implementation plan to reduce flood risk, in this case the Maarkebeek Valley where the Province of East Flanders coordinated the development of a ‘valley vision’ between 2015 and 2018.  With support from external experts, the Province of East Flanders are evaluating the extent to which the STAR2Cs solution, Adaptation Catalyst and Capacity Building Service could improve the planning process of an adaptive valley vision and increase the implementation of adaptation measures. The results of this pilot will support the refining of the STAR2Cs solution. The pilot will evaluate:

• Changes in public knowledge of adaptation and the ability to incorporate adaptation measures in future decision-making processes.
• The type of measures implemented and their long term social and economic benefits.
• The contribution of measures implemented to ecosystem-based climate adaptation, justifying investment in adaptation as part of a ‘future-proofed’ decision making process.

The results of this evaluation will be used to develop and establish a case-study method which will support organisations within and outside the partnership to incorporate the STAR2Cs outputs into their planning and decision-making processes.

Download the evaluation report of the Maarkebeek flood resilience planning process:

To watch a series of videos demonstrating the objectives and approach of the workshops to co-create the Maarkebeek and Zwalmbeek river contracts (also in Dutch), click here: zwalmbeek.riviercontract.be.