Examples of national approaches. 5.3.4.1 Norway – Climate change adaptation policies Three concerns can be distinguished regarding climate change and the built environment: the effect of buildings and infrastructure on the environment at local, regional and global scales, the effect of the environment on the utility and service lives of buildings and infrastructure, and adaptation to potential impacts from climate change (Xxxx, 2003; Xxxx et al., 2003). Successful adaptation will need to include the development of strategies, adjustments at the societal and sectoral levels, and improved understanding of interactions between sectors and processes. The existing stock needs to be the starting point for sustainable strategies involving adaptation and enhanced adaptive capacity, as the inertia of the existing stock renders progress through design and construction of new buildings and infrastructure incremental at best (Xxxx, 2003; Xxxx et al., 2003). In addressing the threat of climate change on the built environment, Xxxx et al. (2003) distinguish between vulnerability, sensitivity, exposure, coping, and adaptation. Vulnerability has both social and physical components, including an external risk exposure and an internal lack of coping ability. Exposure also contains a social element, described as sensitivity, related to the degree of societal reliance on a structure at risk. Coping refers to the ability to ameliorate damages and consequences in order to maintain societal goals. Adaptations are the adjustments needed to manage changing conditions, in order to reduce vulnerability. Decreasing vulnerability can include measures to reduce sensitivity and exposure, as well as increasing coping capacity. Anticipated climate change is expected to lead to "warmer, wetter and xxxxxx" Norwegian weather in the future (Almås et al., 2011, p. 228). Researchers expect harsher weather events and increased impacts on the built environment. Almås et al. consider the climate change impacts related to changing precipitation, wind, temperature and solar radiation on rot-decay risk in timber buildings in Norway. The Norwegian building stock has a long lifetime, with 80% of the current stock still existing in 2050. Their results show a dramatic increase in rot decay risk with changing climate. Their recommendations include designing buildings not just for present climate, but for the anticipated climate over the service life of the building. Serre et al. consider flooding to be "the major natural hazard in the EU...
