Contingency Planning

Response strategy

The following response strategy is an action plan developed based on the risks and hazards present in Nyhavna and explained further above in the Scenario section. The goal of the Response Strategy is to avert or mitigate the negative consequences of potential future flooding due to sea level rise and plan for appropriate response in case of its occurrence. We have identified three standpoints for our scenario, i.e. societal, ecological and institutional response, based on short term immediate response vs. long term prevention planning. In this section we will present and discuss the aims and measures of the response strategy.

Societal Response

This type of strategy response is crucial in mobilizing the local residents and community members to prepare for and respond in times of crises. Human resources and community involvement will have to be built up from scratch as there are currently no residents living in the area. Having community involvement from an early stage of the development to raise awareness of possible risks and establishing different activist groups to organize community events will help with building up social cohesion and community feel for the area. As more people live and care for the area, the pressure to make the place more resilient and safe in the long-term as well as during crisis events will need to be addressed. We plan to encourage community involvement by establishing “Nyhavna Velforening”, a group responsible for social work and cohesion. They will assist in organizing community events or “dugnad” in Norwegian which are communal work events where people get together to work on projects, do some manual labor such as neighborhood clean up, tree planting or landscaping, fundraising efforts or accomplish some mutual task that will make the area more resilient. We also propose establishing a resiliency committee, which will be a volunteer group made up of people from different walks of life, different ages, genders and areas of expertise, who will create a resiliency toolbox that will be distributed to everyone living in the area. In it, residents will be educated and informed on the safety precautions, first response strategies such as evacuation plan, resource storage, first aid services and best practices during crisis situations. We propose having a volunteer sign up form as well so that people can get properly trained on how to respond to the crisis and help other residents take appropriate measures.

Ecological Response

The ecological response will consist of incremental steps to increase resiliency and protection of the area against flooding. The goal is to improve flood protection while enhancing the spatial and scenic quality of the area. Taking small, incremental steps to im- prove the ecological resilience of the area will be accomplished by increasing the biodiversity in the area and building out more green structures. This can be done by creating a stormwater strategy for Nyhavna, that will act as the main guiding document for the long term planning. Green structures will allow the water to percolate through the ground and blue structures will act as water catchment areas. We also propose to make Nyhavna a test project for alternative ecological approaches to stormwater management such as living shorelines, floodable plain or estuary rejuvenation which could be tested for and adjusted in incremental steps. Overall, reverting the area into a more natural state and increasing the biodiversity will also naturally increase the resiliency of the area. Using Nyhavna as a pilot site for a blue-green structure testing site could bring many more economic benefits such as increased employment and property values, improved recreational opportunities and community cohesion, lower pollution and reduced cost from damages.

Institutional Response

The Institutional Response covers the topics of governance and economy. The aim in this case is to establish cooperative alliance between different local stakeholders and actors who will assist in administering the response strategy and develop a long term plan for the area to minimize risks and prevent losses.

The group, consisting of Trondheim kommune, Trøndelag brann og redningstjeneste IKS and Nyhavna Velforening, will help identify other local stakeholders and create an emergency plan. The emergency plan will be made available to the local businesses, organizations, offices and explain step by step the level of priority in a crisis situation. It will also identify the building zones and examine structural integrity of buildings that are vulnerable to sea level rise using various mapping methods (remote sensing, GIS mapping) with the help of research and academic institutions such as NTNU. Measuring of sea level and identification of buildings at risk will allow for future development plans to take building relocation into consideration.

Further analysis of local actors and stakeholders involved, and discussion of when should these actors be involved, how and why did we select these stakeholders can be found in the Stakeholder Analysis part of this paper. The overall goal is to facilitate knowledge sharing and create a structural hierarchy of governance so that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. The emergency plan will provide systems navigation for stakeholders so they can increase their collaboration and engagement through various training, courses and mock tests.

Implementation Plan

Essentially, an implementation plan defines the steps necessary to achieve a shared objective or initiative. Similarly, a strategic plan specifies the strategies we will employ to achieve a particular objective. Also, it identifies the steps that we should take to achieve that objective (Atmaja et al 2022). In the Implementation Plan, we have categorized short, medium, and long term steps by looking at the societal, ecological, and institutional standpoints. In the following chart, we’ve portrayed all the points that we think we should consider in our implementation plan. (Fig. 24)

Short Term Plans (in the next 5 years)

Societal:

As we discussed in the theory section, resilient communities are better equipped to respond to disasters. From this angle, it is crucial to educate Nyhavna’s future population about the threat posed by the sea level rise. In this sense, creating more awareness in the residents is the key. So, using different online platforms, and arranging community awareness sessions could be very helpful. In addition, we need a plan for emptying the residents during the flood. This plan should be created in the short term alongside the development plan.

Ecological:

It could be very beneficial for the future of Nyhavna if there is a collaboration between the research sector and city development authority about the possible natural solutions that can prevent flooding in the area, like the nature based solutions. As the region has a historical natural heritage as an important estuary, it’s important that further research shows what are the possibilities to revitalize and consider this natural background in the future development.

Institutional:

Since Nyhavna hasn’t developed yet for residentship,the adaptation of the buildings to survive floods in the future is also crucial. Since we have enough resources, the municipality and other responsible stakeholders in Nyhavna would not have a problem implementing the ideas in this project. For example, the locals should have a backup energy source in case of a power outage so they can continue using their devices to stay updated in times of flood.

Medium-term plans (Between 5 to 20 years)

The medium term measurements are the ones that should be planned after the basic infrastructure and residents establishment.

Societal and institutional:

As a medium term implementation plan, we suggest a scientists’ group which is supported by the municipality to enhance the collaboration process between different stakeholders. It’s a medium term plan because firstly we need the development to take place. Then, in the medium term, we can think of a group that goes through research, organizing stakeholder meetings, and community development. We call this group the “Nyhavna urban living lab”, which includes urban designers, engineers, and architects who collaborate closely with locals and other interested parties. The Trondheim Municipality’s DMA oversees these group. They use their knowledge to understand the causes of threats and better prepare for them. They are primarily responsible for climate action and risk reduction, community training, emergency response, and coordination of the overall process.

Ecological:

We have proposed structures in the area as part of our flood resistance proposal in the medium term. These structures could provide people with enough space to be in contact with water, at the same time, it lets the ecosystem work in the coast lines. Also, we have explored incorporating certain porous materials in the area through which allow flood water resides. These ideas are largely related to the concept of sponge city, which tends to create a more porous city.

Long-term plans (more than 20 years)

Our long term plans consider community development plans to improve the sense of community, create a collaborative knowledge sharing environment, and implementing long-term incremental natural initiatives.

Societal:

The strong bond between the people and their designed environment is something that we believe occurs in the long term period. When residents feel connected to and invested in their community, a supportive environment is created in which individuals actively participate in local initiatives and collaborate to achieve common objectives. This sense of belonging promotes social cohesion, which increases neighborly trust, communication, and cooperation.

Ecological:

Designing a Blue-green infrastructure helps the coastal neighborhood of Nyhavna flourish long-term, incrementally. A sustainable combination of blue-green infrastructure is necessary for future development in the area. Right now, Nyhavna is impermeable as there are hard surfaces with mostly asphalt. Blue-green infrastructure improves aesthetics and ecosystem services by incorporating natural components, and it provides recreational spaces. As a result, considering the interaction between Nyhavna community design and its infrastructures ensures sustainable and adaptable development, producing livable and harmonious landscapes for present and future generations.

Institutional:

By working together and coming up with solutions together, city planners and residents may adopt a more comprehensive approach to meeting the community’s requirements to better face the future flood risk in Nyhavna. Here, we see collaboration as a long term sustainable and inclusive urban development practice by creating a shared feeling of ownership and collective responsibility among government agencies, people, businesses, and other stakeholders.

The illustrations in figure 25 are made by Gillardi & Hellsten for their proposal for Nyhavna. They illustrate the connection between land and water, where the environment is built in different levels and has natural surfaces to absorb the water.

Operational Support Plan

The operational support plan is a detailed strategy that outlines the different parties and stakeholders involved in our area, both directly and indirectly. It specifies their responsibilities and emphasizes the importance of collaboration in distributing information and providing assistance, such as financial and humanitarian aid, during critical situations. The plan also identifies the available resources that can be utilized effectively to overcome the crisis. (Fig. 27)

Given the substantial resources in our scenario and the presence of a disaster risk management authority within the municipality, this organization takes charge of mapping the stakeholders, assigning their roles and responsibilities, and making the best use of available resources. They are also responsible for establishing community response associations and implementing various engagement initiatives like workshops and urban labs. Additionally, they foster relationships among different stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration. To incorporate preventive measures, the disaster risk management authority works closely with other municipal entities such as the water management authority and urban planners. Since The well-being of the entire community is so important in this scenario, the municipality takes the responsibility of providing the community with the necessary education and preparedness to face the impending crisis.

This operational support plan is based on thorough analyses of stakeholders and an assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis).

These analyses help us understand the roles and capabilities of each stakeholder involved. Maintaining close contact and effective communication with stakeholders at every level is crucial in our operational support plan. By establishing strong connections and regular interaction, we ensure that everyone involved is well-informed and able to contribute effectively to the overall response efforts.

Preparedness Plan

The Preparedness Plan is categorized into ecological, societal, and institutional standpoints, listing the aims within each of the three standpoints. Within the aims, there are mentioned some measures that can be used to prepare for floods in the future, also, who is responsible for the measures and then they should be prepared. The Preparedness Plan is based on the scenario presented in the introduction of the report. (Fig.28)

The measures represented in the Preparedness Plan have some benefits and limitations. This will be described in the figure 29.