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

10 June 2022

More focus on shipping in climate policy

More focus on shipping in climate policy

"We are concerned about the impact of ship emissions on our climate. But we should also start worrying about the effect of climate change on shipping." This statement was made by professor Mark van Koningsveld in his inaugural speech. Held at TU Delft on Friday 10 June during the Port & Waterways symposium.

08 June 2022

Energy transition at the heart of TU Delft's education programme

Energy transition at the heart of TU Delft's education programme

On Thursday 9 June, the TU Delft campus will be buzzing like never before. On that day, students will be presenting their ideas on how to accelerate the energy transition. Over the past six months, more than 15,000 TU Delft students have followed a course on energy transition. This has resulted in a large number of ideas and prototypes that can be seen on 9 June during the Energy Challenge Event, which is part of TU Delft's anniversary year.

30 May 2022

Energy-producing Echo building opened at TU Delft Campus

Energy-producing Echo building opened at TU Delft Campus

From Monday 30 May, TU Delft teachers and students can start using sustainable education building Echo. After the summer break, the building will be in full use and the catering facilities will be fully operational. This energy-producing building on TU Delft Campus is set to contribute to TU Delft’s ambition of operating in a completely sustainable manner and becoming a carbon-neutral and circular campus by 2030.

16 May 2022

TU Delft's Control Room of the Future makes power grid digitally resilient

TU Delft's Control Room of the Future makes power grid digitally resilient

The increased digitalisation of the power grid comes with its own set of cyber threats and risks. In TU Delft’s Control Room of the Future (CRoF) the power grid gets put through its paces. This remarkable research facility offers both industry and academics unique opportunities to research, develop and test the integration of new energy management technologies into the smart grid.

16 May 2022

Researching climate change in the Spanish heat

Researching climate change in the Spanish heat

Extreme heat in Canada, flooding in the Netherlands and forest fires everywhere. The climate is changing and the dangers of droughts and floods are lurking. MSc student Gijs Vis didn’t hesitate when he got the opportunity to work on a unique international climate research project in Spain where scientists from multiple European countries joined forces during an intensive fieldwork campaign.


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.