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.

Climate Action News

24 October 2023

Policies addressing climate change adaptation should account for behavioural factors

Policies addressing climate change adaptation should account for behavioural factors

Deze zomer zagen we de omvang van de schade die klimaat gerelateerde gevaren zoals zware regenval, overstromingen en aardverschuivingen kunnen aanrichten bij mensen en in steden. Aanpassing aan deze gevaren is cruciaal. Nieuw onderzoek van TU Delft onderzoekers Alessandro Taberna en Tatiana Filatova houdt rekening met dit gebrek aan aanpassing. Het onderzoek laat zien hoe belangrijk het is om rekening te houden met gedragsvooroordelen en sociale beïnvloeding bij het bestuderen van individuele aanpassingskeuzes.

12 October 2023

Groen Gedoe de Podcast

Groen Gedoe de Podcast

28 September 2023

Ruisdael Observatory maps atmosphere of the Netherlands

Ruisdael Observatory maps atmosphere of the Netherlands

What was just a dream five years ago is now starting to become reality. Thanks to hundreds of sensors and several measurement towers, the Ruisdael Observatory continuously provides a clear picture of the atmosphere above the Netherlands. The oldest measurement tower in Cabauw has been in place for 50 years.

20 September 2023

The Delft Tree Atlas: much more than maps

The Delft Tree Atlas: much more than maps

Did you know that many cities are also forests? You can see for yourself when you switch Google Maps to satellite mode. From this bird’s-eye view, you will notice that the average tree cover in cities often exceeds 40%, well above the lower limit of the ‘forest’ classification. Certain regions of Delft even reach 65%, which is more than most natural forests in Europe. But what kind of forest is Delft? Or, more accurately, which kinds?

20 September 2023

Marina Tabassum started as Professor Architectural Design for Climate Adaptation

Marina Tabassum started as Professor Architectural Design for Climate Adaptation

Living and working in Bangladesh, “Architectural Design for Climate Adaptation” is almost more of a necessity than a choice for Marina Tabassum. She brings her personal style to it, combining knowledge of local climate, materials history, culture and community. Marina Tabassum has started as Professor at our faculty on 15 September 2023.


Climate Action News

07 July 2023

Extra-resilient crops through integration of plant biology, simulation models and AI

Extra-resilient crops through integration of plant biology, simulation models and AI

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) announced its contribution of 15 million euros to PlantXR, a CropXR research programme into 'smart breeding' of extra resilient crops (eXtra Resilient, XR). This impulse brings CropXR's total budget to over €90 million for the next 10 years. NWO’s grant marks the start of the new Dutch institute CropXR, which integrates plant biology, computational modelling, and artificial intelligence into 'smart breeding methods'. Those will be used to develop crop varieties that are more resilient to climate change and less dependent on chemical crop protection. In CropXR, TU Delft works together with Utrecht University, Wageningen University and Research, the University of Amsterdam and dozens of plant breeding, biotech and processing companies on basic scientific research, data collection and data sharing, education, and advancing broad application of the results.

04 July 2023

Remco Hartkamp and David Vermaas receive Vidi grants

Remco Hartkamp and David Vermaas receive Vidi grants

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded two e-Refinery researchers a Vidi grant of up to €800,000. This will allow the laureates to develop an innovative line of research and further expand their own research group over the next five years.

29 June 2023

David Vermaas receives Vidi grants

David Vermaas receives Vidi grants

David Vermaas researches membranes consisting of nano-thin layers that work energy-efficiently and can supply pure fuels to accelerate the energy transition. David is one of eight TU Delft scientists from the science domains of Exact and Natural Sciences (ENW) and Applied and Applied Sciences (AES) to whom the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Vidi grant of up to 800,000 euros.

20 June 2023

Climate change as a game – Comenius Grant for Laura Cipriani

Climate change as a game – Comenius Grant for Laura Cipriani

With her proposal Climate change as a game. (Co)designing with children the landscape of the future, Laura Cipriani has won the prestigious Comenius Teaching Fellowship Grant 2023. With this grant she can put her vision on educational innovation into practice.

19 June 2023

Damping waves with 50,000 rubber grass blades

Damping waves with 50,000 rubber grass blades

Dimitris Dermentzoglou, PhD student in Coastal Engineering, investigates whether salt marshes can serve as a natural solution for coastal protection. It is why he mimics salt marsh vegetation at the TU Delft Waterlab. He hopes his research will yield a more sustainable alternative to the repeated raising of dikes.