Articles | Volume 25, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1573-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1573-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Mapping vulnerability to climate change for spatial planning in the region of Stuttgart
Joanna M. McMillan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Franziska Göttsche
Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Joern Birkmann
Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Rainer Kapp
Amt für Umweltschutz, Abteilung Stadtklimatologie, Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Gaisburgstraße 4, 70182 Stuttgart, Germany
Corinna Schmidt
Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung, Abteilung für Raumordnung und Gesamtverkehrsangelegenheiten, Fachbereich Örtliche Raumordnung, Landhausplatz 1, 3109 St. Pölten, Austria
previously at: Verband Region Stuttgart, Kronenstraße 25, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Britta Weisser
Ministry of Regional Development and Housing Baden-Württemberg (MLW), Theodor-Heuss-Straße 4, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
previously at: Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Ali Jamshed
Institute of Spatial and Regional Planning (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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Executive editor
While there are many examples on vulnerability mapping for climate-related hazards in the academic literature, there is very limited evidence of those maps being used by practitioners to achieve a systematic and long-term reduction of risk and vulnerability from climate-related hazards. The authors have identified spatial planners as key players in reducing risks from climate-related hazards in urban areas and use existing spatial planning laws as the starting point to define the legal requirements vulnerability maps need to fulfill to be usable by spatial planners. This innovative approach presented for the example of spatial planning in Stuttgart, Germany demonstrates a promising way to overcome the current gap between research and practice on urban climate change adaptation.
While there are many examples on vulnerability mapping for climate-related hazards in the...
Short summary
Adapting to climate extremes is a challenge for spatial planning. Risk maps that include not just a consideration of hazards but also social vulnerability can help. We develop social vulnerability maps for the Stuttgart region, Germany. We show the maps, describe how and why we developed them, and provide an analysis of practitioners' needs and their feedback. Insights presented in this paper can help to improve map usability and to better link research and planning practice.
Adapting to climate extremes is a challenge for spatial planning. Risk maps that include not...
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