Climate Adaptation in Metropolis Hamburg: Paradigm Shift in Urban Planning and Water Management towards 'Living with Water'?

This chapter deals with a paradigm shift in urban planning regarding flood risks against the background of climate change. Therefore it describes the history of Hamburg's urban development visions and strategies resulting recently in the vision of “Metropolis Hamburg - Growing City”. This contains the concept of a “Leap over the River Elbe” that connects the city center north of the Elbe with former industrial areas south of the river. Consequently, the chapter explores the so-called “Elbinsel”, the huge island of Wilhelmsburg situated within the river Elbe, where about 50 000 people live on 100 km2 with wide parts being below sea level. In recent years the awareness of climate change has arisen and has forced the need for new strategies of risk management. New adaptation strategies go along with the planning paradigm “living with water” that includes more flexible ways of urban planning in addition to flood protection by dikes. Therefore the chapter presents an innovative flood protection concept - the system of cascading flood compartments - dealing with storm surges and sea level rise. The conclusion of the chapter focuses on the reflection of the system of cascading flood compartments in the context of adaptive capacity.