A methodology for mapping co-benefits of climate adaptation. Participatory GIS in consultancy

Abstract

This thesis seeks to broaden the research of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the context of citizen engagement and co-benefit mapping, by bringing forth consultancy perspectives and demands towards the uptake of new methods. The process is anchored in the Action Research methodology, as the empirical material is produced through a collaboration with the Ramboll consultancy. The thesis follows the process of creating a methodology for the spatial delineation of co-benefits within climate adaptation. It investigates how an otherwise analogue methodology can be enhanced by using digital tools based on GIS. The pinnacle of this process is the testing of the method, which could form the basis for co-benefit assessments, in two cases situated in a Western European context. The thesis discusses both the consultancy considerations for the adoption of a new participatory method, as well as the implications of using citizen knowledge in this process. One of the main research findings is the missing link between the concepts of place values, ecosystem services and co-benefits of climate adaptation, which is closely tied to the timing of the assessment, prior to or after climate adaptation measures. Local circumstances and project requirements dictate the introduction of a new digital method that is based on participatory GIS (PGIS), and partly the team’s resources. Integrating citizen knowledge in co-benefit assessments carried out in GIS is strongly related to the main difficulties of co-benefit assessments, such as overlapping and conflicting values. In addition to that, outreach is essential for a successful outcome, but also resource demanding.