- Studying climate is increasingly essential not only to understand its past and future evolution but also to know how we can act to mitigate and be better prepared to the risks connected to a changing climate.
- Glacier melt, severe weather events and droughts have become some of the most emblematic evidences of the ongoing climate change and its impacts.
- We need to analyse and evaluate the main changes in past and future climate conditions using observations and physical model data in order to identify the main related hazards and formulate information supporting the assessment of climate risks in different sectors, such as for example agriculture, water management and health.
- To this aim we combine climate information (e.g. the frequency of heavy rainfall) with key environmental data (e.g. land use and land cover) and socio-economic factors (e.g. type of infrastructure for water drainage/regulation) in order to identify the main risks (e.g. flood-related risks) and those areas, in a municipality, region or country, where they are most pronounced.
- An interplay of different competences (including physics, statistics, geospatial, earth and social sciences) in order to synthesise the large amount of required data, integrate qualitative and quantitative analyses and to effectively inform decision makers who have to manage the risks and plan future adaptation options is required.
- For instance, maps showing the climate distribution and changes as well as high-risk locations are essential tools in risk communication and as a basis for discussion with stakeholders and decision-makers.
