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

26 April 2022

Kornelis Blok bij Nu.nl over wat er moet gebeuren om klimaatverandering te beheersen

Kornelis Blok bij Nu.nl over wat er moet gebeuren om klimaatverandering te beheersen

Als we de gevolgen van klimaatverandering beheersbaar willen houden, moet in een mensenleven veel anders. Professor Kornelis Blok zet een aantal belangrijke punten op een rijtje.

19 April 2022

TU Delft intensifies research into floating wind turbines

TU Delft intensifies research into floating wind turbines

If it is up to the European Commission, all the energy used will come from renewable sources by 2050. Achieving this goal will require the large-scale use of floating wind turbines, says Axelle Viré, wind expert at TU Delft. ‘Although the technology is still in its infancy, it has enormous potential,’ she explains. ‘To capitalise on this potential, TU Delft is launching the Floating Renewables Lab: a lab facility that will tie together all the elements of the development chain for floating wind turbines and other offshore renewables with the help of numerical models and AI.’

14 April 2022

The battle of the Amsterdam quayside bulge

The battle of the Amsterdam quayside bulge

The canals and quaysides in historic cities such as Amsterdam, Delft and Utrecht make a pretty picture. In order for these often busy cities to remain safe, the quay walls, some over 300 years old and built on wooden piles, need to be well maintained.

08 April 2022

TU Delft and TNO prepare industry for scale-up phase of clean factory

TU Delft and TNO prepare industry for scale-up phase of clean factory

Oil and gas shortages are not only pushing up the prices of gas and petrol, but also plastics, medicines and cosmetics. To make our society less dependent on fossil fuels and combat climate change, the chemical industry needs to change radically. In recent years, TU Delft and TNO have laid the foundation for cleaner production processes in the chemical industry. The new e-Chem partnership is now taking this a step further by actually constructing a clean factory of the future.

07 April 2022

Sharlene en Lieke droegen bij aan het IPCC rapport: ‘een onvergetelijke ervaring’

En dan ben je ineens een van de schrijvers van het indrukwekkende IPCC rapport deel II over impact, adaptatie en kwetsbaarheid dat afgelopen februari werd gelanceerd. Het overkwam TBM onderzoekers Sharlene Gomes en Lieke Brackel. Beiden hadden de ervaring niet willen missen.


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.