Climate Adaptation – modelling water scenarios and sectoral impacts (ClimWatAdapt)

Description:

The main objective of this project is the assessment of vulnerability to climate change impacts and adaptation measures in the water sector. Therefore, the main aim of this project was to set up an Integrated Assessment Framework (IAF) which allows to analyse which regions in Europe are potentially vulnerable to climate change and to identify which adaptation measures could potentially be promoted at the EU level. In particular, the study focuses on

· the development of an Integrated Assessment Framework (IAF). The IAF is a conceptual framework for the assessment of vulnerability and adaptation measures that comes together with a comprehensive database integrating available information needed for the assessment, i.e., modelling results and generic data. In this way, the IAF enables the European Commission to carry out further in-house analyses by applying the principles of the conceptual framework to new aspects of climate change based on the information provided in the database. Moreover, the database facilitates modelling analyses with any simulation model that can use the information as input. Since the database is designed to be extendible with additional information and datasets that may become available in the coming years, the results of those modelling exercises can be integrated into the database as well. Furthermore, the technical implementation of the database allows for the integration into the Clearinghouse Mechanism on Adaptation (CHM) and the Water Information System for Europe (WISE).
· water related impacts from climate change and their potential implications for the European water depending sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, inland navigation, hydropower, energy, and, in the case of flooding, for the EU economies as a whole.
· “water for nature” by considering the changes in ecosystem conditions, which are influenced by climate change and in turn will affect other economic sectors. Changes in future water withdrawals are likely and will vary between the different sectors and regions. Global drivers such as climate change are likely to have an influence on water quality. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has pointed out that many changes expected in water quality may be negative, including reduced dilution capacity of rivers because of decreasing discharges or increased pollution loadings due to changes in rainfall patterns (Bates et al., 2008). Water quality issues will be taken into account to the extent available datasets allow.
· potential adaptation measures which should be promoted or prevented in order to increase the adaptive capacity of Europe.

Project information

Lead

CESR

Partners

Ecologic Institute, Alterra Wageningen UR, Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change

Source of funding

European Commission, Directorate-General Environment, Unit D.1. Water