The Role of Urban Services, Climate Services and Insurance Services in Urban Climate Change Adaptation Processes

The increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme events associated with climate change represent a pressing issue on a global and local scale. While waiting for the desirable effects of mitigation measures, the scientific community, governments, and private businesses should increase their commitment to adaptation as a transition strategy. As a response to emerging risks, the adoption of non-structural (or “soft”) adaptation solutions—which concerns the organizational and intangible aspects of systems—represents a valid and complementary option to infrastructural (“hard”) interventions in contexts of high uncertainty. In line with this approach, the paper reports the results of ongoing research on the strategic role of Urban Facility Management (UFM) services in supporting cities in the adaptation process to climate change effects. It also highlights the potential contribution of insurance brokers and investigates competencies, responsibilities, and information flows in Urban service processes. The results of this analysis converge in a proposal for re-designed service delivery models that meet emerging needs and make the integration between urban, climate, and insurance services operative to achieve an innovative “Adaptation services” system. The hypotheses and the proposals are tested by observing a case study—an Italian medium-sized municipality—where implementing Adaptation services models triggers new relationships between public and private stakeholders and forms of collaboration with insurance suppliers.