Do we really need specialists for climate adaptation?

 

And indeed, more and more players are entering the field. Self-proclaimed, quickly trained ‘experts’, communication professionals, energy consultants – even professionals from other fields. Often on the side, often without depth, often at dumping prices.

The problem:

Customers usually don't notice.

Because if you haven't dealt intensively with climate adaptation and all its facets, it's difficult to assess quality. Only practical testing will prove it, but  you really want to risk the damage?

 

 

But does climate adaptation really work that way?

 

My short answer: No.

My long answer begins in 2010.

 

15 years of climate adaptation – from very different perspectives

 

I have been working intensively on climate adaptation for over 15 years – technically, strategically and practically, at very different levels.

It all began at the end of 2010 as a project manager for urban climate adaptation at the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen. There, I advised the European Commission, national governments and European city networks, and was in intensive exchange with numerous city practitioners from all over Europe.

 

I have then been working as a freelancer since 2017 – and thus also very locally and regionally:

• in Asturias, Apulia, Breda, Manchester, Anklam, Hofheim, Egelsbach and other places;
• with social institutions such as ZenJA Langen or Diakonie Hessen;
• with chambers of commerce and industry and economic development agencies or the German Retail Association (HDE-Adapt);
• and with companies such as Tchibo, IKEA, Raiffeisen and Sport Thieme.

This breadth of experience has shaped my perspective. And it has shown me one thing very clearly:

 

 

Climate adaptation is not an isolated instant solution.

It is complex and must be approached systematically and on a case-by-case basis.

 

A practical example: a building suffers from heat. The quick reflex: air conditioning.

 

I take a different approach by looking at the situation comprehensively:

• Can heat-sensitive room uses be relocated?
• Can the heat load be reduced by insulation, shading, greening or passive ventilation?
• How do the building, its use, the outdoor space and daily routines interact?

Very often, it turns out that the cooling technology can be scaled down – or becomes completely unnecessary.

This saves investment costs, reduces ongoing energy costs and avoids wrong investments.

 

Especially in new buildings or new rentals, smart planning can save enormous costs for later adjustments. Sometimes it's about seemingly trivial details: entrance heights, terrain, surfaces and flow direction. Things that are easy to consider early on in the design phase – and hard or almost impossible to correct later. (Of course, there are also options for existing buildings, albeit limited.)

 

 

Listening is part of it

 

Another point that is often underestimated: Listening – to the employees. To the users. To the people on site.

 

Because they experience the effects of climate change in their everyday lives – heat stress, flooding, outages.

This often brings aspects to the table that are rarely considered:

• Is the building insured against natural hazards?
• Do emergency plans also cover climate risks?
• What climate impacts threaten logistics and supply chains?

Effective climate adaptation also means making blind spots visible.

 

And AI?

 

Yes, AI can do a lot.

It can assess data, recognise patterns, calculate scenarios – if the data is comprehensive and consistent. When it comes to climate adaptation, this is often not yet the case. Many analyses are rough. AI can definitely provide an initial classification. The question is whether it takes sufficient account of local characteristics. What is then needed:

• a competent classification of the results,
• a check if these really fit the local situation,
• and above all: the derivation of meaningful and tailored measures.

And beyond data – how are the experiences of the people who live or work there taken into account? This is precisely where it is decided whether measures can have a long-term effect or fizzle out.

 

Why specialists are needed

 

I believe that a specialist's fine-tuning is needed to develop truly effective and sustainable climate adaptation. This fine-tuning cannot be achieved by AI alone, nor by ‘part-time experts’ trained in crash courses.

Climate adaptation is location-specific, case-by-case and, above all, it must be accepted, implemented and lived by people. I believe in co-creation – listening, thinking together, developing together. This often results in better – and often cheaper – solutions.

And, perhaps most importantly, it makes climate adaptation fun.

 

This complexity requires a broad perspective and experience.

Knowing what works in practice – and what doesn't.

 

 

So how to get from here?

 

I'm happy to be part of the journey. Not as a lone warrior with patent solutions –

but as an experienced companion in a complex, deeply human process.

Let's get to work!