Who faces the most climate damage?

The research looks at the relationship between climate impacts, gender and inequality in the European Netherlands and on Bonaire. We mapped which areas and neighbourhoods face the most heat, flooding from heavy rain, drought and river or coastal flooding. We also studied who lives in these areas and how current or future climate damage affects their daily lives and housing situation. We looked at characteristics such as gender, age, migration background, income and type of housing. We also examined how these characteristics influence each other. The combination of several characteristics can increase people’s vulnerability to climate change.

Why focus on gender?

We focused on gender because earlier studies show that women and LGBTQ+ people are often more affected by climate change. This can happen because of economic dependence, care tasks and different forms of exclusion. At the same time, women can play an important role in developing and carrying out climate solutions. An earlier exploratory research called Climate & Gender showed that gender often receives too little attention in climate research. This study builds on that work. We examined exposure to climate impacts, the effects on people and possible forms of support in relation to each other.

What did the research include?

The study combined quantitative and qualitative research. With data from the Climate Impact Atlas and Statistics Netherlands (CBS), we analysed where the risk of climate damage is highest and which groups live there. Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and the Terramar Museum also carried out qualitative research in Rotterdam, Enschede and on Bonaire. They interviewed residents and used questionnaires. They also spoke with experts to include their knowledge and experiences.

What are the results?

The research shows that one quarter of neighbourhoods in the European Netherlands are highly exposed to multiple climate threats. Heat, flooding from heavy rain and river or coastal flooding occur more often in cities and low-lying areas. On average, the socioeconomic characteristics of the most exposed neighbourhoods do not differ strongly from those of less exposed neighbourhoods. However, the share of rental housing is higher in the most exposed neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods with a lot of waterlogging or heat stress also have relatively more single-person households and more residents with a migration background from outside Europe.

For Bonaire, less data was available. We could only analyse exposure to coastal flooding and heavy rainfall. These climate risks mainly affect specific neighbourhoods.

Which recommendations do we give for adaptation policy?

The report ends with recommendations to improve climate adaptation policy in the European Netherlands and on Bonaire. The goal is to better match policy with the reality of groups that are vulnerable to climate impacts, such as households with lower incomes, women and young people. The first set of recommendations applies to both the European Netherlands and Bonaire. After that, the report gives additional recommendations for Bonaire.

Recommendations for the European Netherlands and Bonaire

• Include social differences as a standard part of national and local climate policy and actively involve risk groups.
• Link climate adaptation with policies that address energy poverty and combine measures in homes and neighbourhoods.
• Pay explicit attention to gender, other forms of exclusion and prevent policies from increasing inequality.
• Invest in additional research, better data and clear information for professionals and residents.
• Work with a broad, area-based neighbourhood approach and actively involve residents and homeowners.
• Stay in dialogue with residents and civil society organisations and adjust policy based on their experiences.

Recommendations for Bonaire

• Treat climate-resilient building and infrastructure standards on Bonaire as a basic right and adapt them to the local context.
• Provide accessible collective support on Bonaire and reduce fragmentation in support and information.
• Connect education and communication on Bonaire with daily life and recognise women as important holders of knowledge.
• Develop spatial planning on Bonaire with real participation and attention to governance culture and power relations.
• Recognise and strengthen local knowledge, care networks and existing initiatives as the basis for climate adaptation on Bonaire.
• Link climate adaptation on Bonaire with poverty policy and livelihood security so that basic services are in place.

What happens next?

The next step is to use the results and recommendations to make climate adaptation policy more social and fair. Our goal is that OCW and other ministries will start working with these recommendations. Climate adaptation requires cooperation between different ministries and partners.

We will also use these insights in new research, including the ENGAGED project. In this project we develop and test a practical approach for fair climate adaptation together with municipalities, professionals and residents. In addition, the National Maritime Museum and the Terramar Museum are preparing an exhibition that includes the results of this research. In this way we reach not only policymakers and researchers, but also a wider audience.

We also want to expand the Climate Impact Atlas with social indicators. This will make the social side of climate adaptation more visible. In this way we contribute to a climate-resilient and fair Netherlands, both in the European Netherlands and on Bonaire and the other Caribbean islands.