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Climate adaptation vision VMM
Bart Van Herck
Senior Expert Regional & Urban Development
"Setting the course is often easier than aligning the organisation to it. Especially in the case of large public organisations like VMM. With this trajectory, VMM has created an organisation-wide dynamic to maximise its commitment to climate adaptation with all teams together."
The challenge
The impact of climate change is manifesting itself more and more emphatically and climate adaptation policies and measures are becoming increasingly important. IDEA Consult guided employees of the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) in drawing up their vision on climate adaptation, both in terms of content and organisation:
- What role is the VMM willing and able to take on for a climate-proof Flanders and what long-term objectives do we prioritise?
- How do we organise ourselves?
- How do we work together: internally and with partners?
- How do we deploy our resources?
The process & results
Co-creation, support and transversal thinking are key elements that IDEA puts first in strategy processes. Together with VMM staff, we shaped VMM’s climate adaptation ambitions and goals in three working sessions:
- Workshop 1: Positioning
- Workshop 2: Strategy
- Workshop 3: Operationalisation
In the first working session on positioning, we determined the role and contribution of VMM within the Flemish climate adaptation ambition. In the second working session, we translated this role and contribution concerning climate adaptation into strategic objectives and action points. Here we also made the link with the target groups VMM wants to reach and the partnerships VMM can further develop to realise this. In the third working session we formulated concrete actions, including an operational planning and initial agreements on the (daily) deployment of resources.
A plenary feedback moment at the end of the process strengthened internal support for the climate adaptation vision.
At the end, we were able to lay down a supported strategy, consisting of five objectives that were linked to the climate adaptation cycle.
The substantive and organisational details were compiled in a vision document and a summary memo.
The strategy will be VMM’s guideline for climate adaptation in the coming years and was also used when preparing the next legislature.