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.

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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

25 March 2018

Inaudible infrasound also useful for weather and climate forecasts

Inaudible infrasound also useful for weather and climate forecasts

Research by Pieter Smets of TU Delft and the KNMI shows that infrasound can be used for weather and climate forecasts. These inaudible low sound waves can be used to gain a better picture of the stratosphere, which can barely be measured in any other way. On Wednesday 28 March, Smets will be awarded his PhD at TU Delft for his work on this subject.

15 March 2018

Increasingly accurate picture of accelerating rise in sea levels

Increasingly accurate picture of accelerating rise in sea levels

Rising sea levels are affected by all kinds of different factors, most of which we can now effectively unravel and explain almost everywhere in the world. This is according to TU Delft researcher Thomas Frederikse, who has also established that the average rise in sea levels worldwide is accelerating. Moreover, the days on earth are becoming slightly longer... Frederikse will be awarded his doctorate on Monday, 19 March.

Circulair Prosession: Turning Palm Oil Trunks into Biofuel

The Future Ground: Planning cities for an uncertain future

It is estimated that some 5.5 billion people will live in highly vulnerable climate regions by 2050. However, cities are grappling with ways to think and plan for a resilient future. To become resilient to extreme climate disruptions such as flooding and droughts, cities must transform long-term urban planning. With her advisors, Dr Nazli Aydin and Prof. Tina Comes, PhD candidate Supriya Krishnan is developing "The Future Ground": a methodology for long-term urban planning under climate change. 

The Future Ground: Planning cities for an uncertain future

It is estimated that some 5.5 billion people will live in highly vulnerable climate regions by 2050. However, cities are grappling with ways to think and plan for a resilient future. To become resilient to extreme climate disruptions such as flooding and droughts, cities must transform long-term urban planning. With her advisors, Dr Nazli Aydin and Prof. Tina Comes, PhD candidate Supriya Krishnan is developing "The Future Ground": a methodology for long-term urban planning under climate change.


Climate Action News

24 October 2018

Natural solutions for reducing heat in cities

Natural solutions for reducing heat in cities

The introduction (or reintroduction) of plants and open water is the best way of combating extreme heat in our cities, according to PhD defendant Anna Solcerova.

04 October 2018

Using aircraft as weather stations

Using aircraft as weather stations

To fly safely, aircraft need accurate updates on wind and temperature. But together, aircraft can also act as a sensor network that provides information to make weather models and predictions better, researchers at TU Delft have found. This week they publish their findings in PLOS One.

26 September 2018

Two TU Delft proposals chosen to compete in ESA Earth Explorer mission

Two TU Delft proposals chosen to compete in ESA Earth Explorer mission

TU Delft has provided two of the three proposals that are competing for the tenth Earth Explorer mission by ESA, which is planned for 2027-2028. The Earth Explorer missions are aimed at Earth observation, one of the important aims of the European Space Agency (ESA).

25 September 2018

Opening of Ruisdael Observatory

Opening of Ruisdael Observatory

The Ruisdael Observatory – named after the 17th-century painter Jacob van Ruisdael – combines a nationwide dense network of measuring points with high-resolution simulations and the necessary computing power in order to map out changes in local weather, air quality and climate. The official opening of the observatory is on 27 September, with a meeting in the grounds of the KNMI measuring station at Cabauw (Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research, CESAR). In April this new top-class research facility was awarded a certificate from NWO’s National Roadmap for Large-Scale Scientific infrastructure.

04 July 2018

Extreme sea levels predicted to increase along global coastlines

Extreme sea levels predicted to increase along global coastlines

Future global warming will lead to an increase in ‘extreme sea levels’, with consequent flood risks to coastal infrastructure and human populations. An international research team from Italy, Greece, the Netherlands (TU Delft / Deltares) and the UK published this new research in Nature Communications.