How Europe’s rainiest city is turning stormwater into a resource

Like all countries across the globe, Norway is not immune to climate change. Increased precipitation and extreme weather events in the country mean that water and wastewater systems have a growing vulnerability to water-related risks, which has led to the need for adaptation approaches to be adopted. Bergen, the rainiest city in Europe, considers stormwater a resource. The city is shaped by decades of giving stormwater time and space, with emphasis on nature-based solutions and interdisciplinary collaboration. Bergen aims to be Norway’s greenest city and a pioneering city with regards to environment, sustainable development, and climate adaptation. Specific targets include becoming fossil free by 2030 and a 1.5-degree city by 2050, having zero-emission construction sites by 2025 and increasing climate adaptation through blue-green infrastructure.