DTU Climate Centre at Risø DTU is going to prepare Denmark for climate change by choosing solutions based on research conducted in Denmark’s new climate research centre.
A grant of DKK 29 million has made it possible to establish a new Danish climate research centre – CRES (Centre for Regional Change in the Earth System). The centre is to provide accurate and detailed knowledge of the specific climate challenges we are facing in the short term. We do not know much about this today. The Danish Council for Strategic Research has granted DKK 29 million to establish the new climate research centre.
Regional climate model
DTU Climate Centre at Risø DTU is going to play an important role in the new climate research centre. “One of our many new tasks will be to develop a new and more detailed regional climate model to be used for making decisions on climate adaptation in Denmark. The climate model is to prepare Denmark for climate change and to reduce uncertainties in future planning,” according to Kirsten Halsnæs, Head of DTU Climate Centre. She goes on: ”The big problem is what to do in the short term. There is a lack of climate models that can predict the development at a detailed regional level from 2020 to 2050,” she says.
Such models are important for Denmark in order to be able to make the right decisions about the best and most profitable investments in climate adaptation. The climate models that have so far influenced Danish and international assessments, are not short-sighted or detailed enough for local or regional planning.
”In a Danish context, it is not interesting only to know what will happen in 2100 when it comes to local decisions about sewers, new district plans and the protection of sectors, that will be affected in particular by climate change”, says Kirsten Halsnæs.
Therefore DTU Climate Centre, DMI and the other partners of the project are going to develop a new, advanced tool for calculation of regional climate change. This new climate model can predict the consequences of climate change within a range of 10 kilometres. The new climate models can provide much more precise information on regional climate change. Combined with information on natural resorts and social activities, this information can be used to make decisions about climate adaptation in Denmark.
Climate models that can predict extreme events
The new climate models can also predict storms and heavy rain. “Average considerations cannot be used for planning. We must be prepared for the worst case in order to advise authorities, businesses and citizens properly,” says Kirsten Halsnæs.
A perfect collaboration between Danish institutions
The work in the climate research centre will be organised as a partnership between the many involved Danish institutions. ”The partnership gives a good division of labour, because we supplement each other perfectly. DTU Climate Centre contributes with the social aspects and the assessment of technologies and adaptation options. To be able to advise authorities and individuals, we need all the scientific facts we can get from the others involved in the collaboration,” says Kirsten Halsnæs.
The results will be put into practice
To ensure that the research, carried out by the climate research centre, is relevant and useful, many of those, who are going to make and implement climate change decisions in Denmark, will participate in the collaboration. This applies to Local Government Denmark and the insurance industry. Several municipalities will also be invited to take part in the work of the climate research centre. Part of the funds is given to support the collaboration with the Danish municipalities; they will manage Danish climate adaptation at the local level.
The recommendations from the climate research centre are targeted at state and local authorities as well as private enterprises within construction, sewerage, roads, railways and other essential infrastructure, that should be prepared before climate change begins for real.
DTU Environment is also a partner in the project and works with precipitation data and with how to plan future investments in drainage in urban areas.
More information:
Head of Programme Kirsten Halsnæs, DTU Climate Centre, 4677 5112, khal@risoe.dtu.dk, private no. 4465 8312. |