Climate Action Programme


The Climate Action Programme was launched in 2021 and functions as a community for climate action on the TU Delft campus and beyond. We coordinate various events, activities and functions, providing a central platform for climate related research, education and innovation at TU Delft. Through these efforts, we help to bring to fruition our university’s goal of creating impact for a sustainable society.

Our four overarching themes of Climate Science, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation and Climate Change Governance are composed of Flagships. Researchers from different disciplines co-operate within the Flagships, and dedicated researchers have been appointed to each Flagship. We foster co-operation within Flagships, between the Flagships, with other climate related researchers and with external stakeholders and partners to secure societal impact.

We actively collaborate with other TU Delft initiatives including:

There is always a reason not to act. Let’s do something about this. Time is running out

― Prof Herman Russchenberg

Climate Action News

04 February 2022

TU Delft’s new programme of MOOCs aims to speed up the energy transition

TU Delft’s new programme of MOOCs aims to speed up the energy transition

On 8 February 2022, TU Delft launches a programme of four new massive open online courses on Intelligent and Integrated Energy Systems.

02 February 2022

TU Delft campus climate neutral by 2030

TU Delft campus climate neutral by 2030

By 2030, TU Delft aims to be operating in a completely sustainable manner. All activities on and from the campus will then be carbon neutral, circular, climate adaptive and contributing to the quality of life for its users and for nature. Together with all staff, students and partners of the university, sustainability coordinator Andy van den Dobbelsteen is working hard to realize this ambition. Everyone can follow the progress on a new website.

14 January 2022

TU Delft anniversary dedicated to energy transition

TU Delft anniversary dedicated to energy transition

On Friday 14 January, TU Delft celebrated its 180th Dies Natalis, or birthday. The university has chosen ‘speeding up the energy transition’ as theme for the anniversary celebrations, which will continue over 180 days after Friday’s official Dies Natalis ceremony.

11 January 2022

The Earthshot Prize

The Earthshot Prize

The search for the winners of The Earthshot Prize 2022 has begun and TU Delft is proud to be an official Nominator. Launched in 2020 and with the first incredible winners announced in October 2021, The Earthshot Prize is one of the most prestigious global environment prize in history, aiming to find new solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems.

10 January 2022

TU Delft builds decarbonised energy system for the built environment

TU Delft builds decarbonised energy system for the built environment

The energy transition will be felt most keenly in residential areas, where there are major challenges. . At The Green Village – the field lab for sustainable innovation on the TU Delft Campus – a unique project to accelerate the energy transition in the built environment will start on Friday 14 January: the 24/7 Energy Lab.


Climate Action News

12 January 2023

Can nature-based climate change adaptation measures benefit the Dutch housing market?

Can nature-based climate change adaptation measures benefit the Dutch housing market?

The Netherlands needs to account for climate-driven flood risks when planning new housing advises the Deltaprogramma: where and how we build houses and what governments and homeowners can do to adapt to the increasing flood risks.

19 December 2022

Rose Sharifian is speeding up!

Rose Sharifian is speeding up!

PhD defensed her thesis: "Electrochemical oceanic carbon capture using bipolar membrane electrodialysis" and begins her start-up company op CO2 removal

19 December 2022

Emergent behaviour in the energy transition

Emergent behaviour in the energy transition

A research agenda including a concrete action plan for the following research challenges: behavioural theory and modelling of the energy transition, 2) anticipating emergent behaviour to scale up the energy transition, 3) developing transition narratives, and 4) embracing key/change agents and emergent leadership. The action items vary between quick wins and fundamental research ideas that may, together, help us to better shape the energy transition.

14 December 2022

NWO Perspectief grant for flood protection research

NWO Perspectief grant for flood protection research

Large areas of the Netherlands are at risk of being flooded. It was only last year, 2021, that rivers in the province of Limburg overflowed. A rise in sea levels and weather extremes, caused by climate change, calls for new technical and nature-based solutions for flood risk management and climate adaptation. The Future Flood Risk Management Technologies (Future FRM Tech) programme, led by TU Delft's Bas Jonkman, will receive an NWO Perspectief grant to work on flood-resilient and climate-adaptive coasts and rivers.

01 December 2022

Most nitrogen deposition from aviation comes from high altitude

Most nitrogen deposition from aviation comes from high altitude

Aircraft emit nitrogen oxides and other emissions during both the LTO-phase (taxiing, take-off and landing) and when flying at high altitudes. These emissions return to the ground, resulting in nitrogen deposited over land and water bodies. Using an atmospheric model, researchers at TU Delft have quantified - for the first time - that in 2019 aviation was responsible for just under 1.2% of total global nitrogen deposition from all sources.