Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into urban planning -A pragmatic protocol to tackle the implementation gap

Bethany M. Liss^1*Mia Wannewitz¹Carmeli Marie Chaves^2,3Lena Grobusch¹Sonia Islam^2,3Dina Magnaye^2,3Ma Sheilah G. Napalang^2,3Vincent Eugenio^2,3Matthias Garschagen¹

• ¹Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Geography, Munich, Germany
• ²University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, National Capital Region, Philippines
• ³School of Urban and Regional Planning, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Despite the growing body of scientific literature on mainstreaming climate change adaptation (CCA) into urban planning and numerous implementation guidelines, adaptation remains insufficiently integrated across sectors and scales in urban development, particularly in cities in the Global South. Persisting challenges are conceptual ambiguity, lengthy and overwhelming manuals and guidelines not tailored to planners' needs, and the limited transferability of case study findings especially for cities in the Global South. This study addresses these gaps by developing a pragmatic mainstreaming protocol tailored for urban policymakers and planners to facilitate the mainstreaming of CCA into urban development planning. It provides information and guidance regarding four key elements of mainstreaming: policy formulation, planning, resource allocation and implementation. The protocol was piloted in Metro Manila, the Philippines, focusing on enhancing the integration of upgrading and resettlement as adaptation strategies in urban development planning. The findings provide practical insights for improving climate-sensitive urban planning and contribute to ongoing debates on the efficacy of mainstreaming versus dedicated adaptation policies. This work highlights the need for coherent policies, clear roles, and cross-sectoral collaboration to ensure resilient urban development in vulnerable regions.