Private homeowners climate adaptive

An exploration on how private homeowners can be stimulated to adopt small scale climate adaptive measures

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Abstract

Understanding the perceived stimuli and barriers by private homeowners is key knowledge to realise effective climate adaptive policy and consequently the adoption of SSCAM by homeowners. Q-methodology was used to unravel the perspectives of 25 homeowners from the Vruchtenbuurt, Den Haag and Hillegersberg-Zuid, Rotterdam on climate adaptation. The Model of Proactive Private Adaption to Climate Change structured the Q-methodology and was complemented with a policy analysis into climate adaptive policy of Den Haag and Rotterdam and a literature review of SSCAM. Four perspective groups, called factors, were identified amongst homeowners, : 1) Major problem, but what is the solution?!, 2) Together we make it better!, 3) I don't know how I am part of a solution and 4) Act when it is needed. The diversity of homeowners' perspectives implies no one-size-fits-all solution exists to stimulate adoption of SSCAM, two policy instruments which take this into account are proposed. Firstly, an extensive communication strategy is advised which clarifies the need for climate adaptive measures, establishes a relation with homeowners and stimulates homeowner's participation through an adaptive network. This should be complemented with an enabling instrument for garden and roof SSCAM, which can be tailored to the different barriers and stimuli perceived by the perspectives.