Adaptation to sea level rise in spatial planning – Experiences from coastal towns in Norway

• Sea level rise has scarcely been acknowledged as a spatial planning challenge.
• There is an increasing awareness and knowledge during the last years.
• An important barrier to adaptation is the lack of authoritative signals.
• Hammerfest has integrated the consideration of sea level rise in their master plan.
• Important reasons are enthusiasts in the municipality and network building.

Rising sea level has become a spatial planning challenge in Norway, as in many other coastal countries. This article focuses on how some selected Norwegian coastal towns adapt to this challenge in their spatial planning, and identifies potential barriers and opportunities for adaptation. Hammerfest in northern Norway is of particular interest since it is one of the few municipalities in Norway that addresses the future rise in sea level in its current municipal master plan. The main conclusion is that although sea level rise has scarcely been acknowledged as a challenge to spatial planning, there is increasing awareness and knowledge of the issues and impacts it presents. An important barrier to adaptation is the lack of authoritative signals from the national government. In Hammerfest there are enthusiasts in the municipal administration, and their ability to build networks with other relevant parties – including both the Planning Section in the municipality and other actors outside the municipality – which is a major reason for the consideration of sea level rise being integrated into the master plan.