Climate Action
There is no doubt that the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are changing our living environment. Climate change is in our hands. We need to both work on limiting it as much as we can (mitigation), but we will also have to learn to adapt to new circumstances. TU Delft will harness its innovative powers to support the world-wide transition to non-fossil resources, and adaptation of the living environment to the consequences of global warming.
The problem is complex and urgent – but we have no other choice than to be optimistic and use all of our capacity to face the challenge, through our education programs and our research.
For more information, see:
In the Climate Action research programme, we start from four themes we consider to be paramount for future Climate Action:
The TU Delft vision on Climate Action is deeply founded in preceding decades of university wide climate action research. The goal of the Climate action research programme is to build on current strengths and identify the areas where there is a need to strengthen our capacities to keep up our (inter)national reputation as climate action university.
Events
• Join our monthly free lunch lectures
• Apply for our Seed Fund
• Win the award for best climate paper
• Receive our newsletter
• Stay up to date on vacancies
Delft Energy Initiative
We work together with the TU Delft Energy Initiative and it's energy institutes: Urban Energy; PowerWeb; Wind Energy; e-Refinery; H2; e4Battery; Social Innovation; Ocean Energy, Energy Access 4 All.
Herman Russchenberg
Pro Vice Rector Climate Action
‘There is always a reason not to act. Let’s do something about this. Time is running out’
Climate Action Stories
Climate Action News
18 February 2020
Can sandbanks save mangrove forests?
Waking up early and going into the field on a small fishermen's boat, while the sun is rising behind volcano tops. That's how days started for PhD student Silke Tas during her two month fieldwork in Indonesia. The rest of her days were less idyllic: they consisted mostly of treading through the mud to get the right measurements for her research. She studies the workings of coastal sandbanks that give a chance to mangrove forests to restore, so that the forests can, in turn, prevent coast erosion.
17 February 2020
A golden age for earth observation
Earth observation is experiencing a golden age: satellites are providing us with an unprecedented wealth of data. Climate researcher Stef Lhermitte is making good use of this, because however effective our models may be, they still contain plenty of uncertainties.
16 February 2020
Waiting for the perfect storm
For months hydraulic engineer Patrick Oosterlo has been waiting for a heavy storm. One that can truly test his equipment that was installed in and on a dike on the coast of the eastern Wadden Sea. He needs high waves and strong winds to decide: is this dike high enough?
13 February 2020
Health problems from air pollution often originate from distant emissions
Air pollution, and the associated premature deaths, are strongly affected by distant emission sources. In the US about half of the premature mortality occurs outside the state that produces the emissions.
11 February 2020
Detecting plastic waste in rivers using drones
Rivers take vital water to villages and cities, but unfortunately they also carry harmful plastic to oceans. In order to prevent this, we need to find out exactly where the plastic comes from and how it is distributed over time and space. Counting plastic waste items from bridges is one of the commonly used methods to do this. But then how can the huge amounts of plastic in inaccessible places be pinpointed? Master student in Hydraulic Engineering Marlein Geraeds spent her internship at The Ocean Cleanup investigating how to monitor plastic waste in Malaysia’s River Klang by means of drones.
