Vulnerability and adaptive capacity in Hammerfest, Norway

• There is a clear link between current and future climate vulnerability and adaptation.
• Hammerfest has reduced their socio-economic and institutional vulnerability through adaptation measures.
• Adaptation to future CC is a new and radical challenge to local communities, Hammerfest has taken steps in this direction.
• Petroleum industry increases natural vulnerability AND strengthen local capacity through extensive increase in property tax.

This article focuses on vulnerability assessment and climate change adaptation strategies in the city of Hammerfest (Northern Norway). The analysis is based on the CoastAdapt framework and will be looking at both current and future climate. Vulnerability is split into “natural vulnerability”, “socio-economic vulnerability” and “institutional vulnerability”. Historically, Hammerfest has been vulnerable to avalanches and landslides, and has over time built up considerable climate adaptive experience. Hammerfest is now undergoing deep transformation. The petroleum industry descended on Hammerfest in 2002; ten years later it provides employment for more than 1 000 people in a town with a total population of approximately 10 000. Over this period, new property taxes and other sources of income have made Hammerfest an affluent community. The result is considerable investment in urban development and new infrastructure (schools, a culture center, new sewers and a streets renovation scheme, etc.). In terms of climate adaptation the impact of the oil industry may be seen as a double edge sword. On the one hand, greenhouse gas emissions have rocketed. One the other hand, the economic development has boosted the municipality's revenue and population, thus enabling Hammerfest to consider, and spends money on, local climate adaptive projects that are far beyond the realm of possibility for neighbouring municipalities. The article will look at the instruments employed by Hammerfest in this process.