2019

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Roadadapt

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Testing of two tools for analysing climate change risks and cost-benifit analysis of climate change adaptation in relation to road investment and maintenance operations (RoadAdapt)

The purpose of RoadAdapt is to test two new methods for assessing how well important road sections in Norway tolerate climate change, and possibly how much can be saved by implementing preventive measures.

Several of the major roads in Norway are closed for periods due to flooding, surface water and various types of landslides. Such problems are expected to increase due to climate change. Therefore, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration will obtain a better overview of where the issues lies and how far it pays to avoid problems in advance with prevention.

the Professionals make the assessments

The one method the researchers will try out, make use of the knowledge and experience of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s own professionals in various subject areas. The researchers will put their knowledge into a system by holding a series of structured gatherings.

These gatherings are set up so that professionals themselves make assessments of the consequences and probability of various incidents along a stretch of road. The researchers enter the assessments into a model to calculate the risk on the road section in a different climate.

The precautionary principle?

The second method to be tested in RoadAdapt is a tool for weighing costs against benefits. In other words: will it pay to prevent overwater on a flood-exposed road, or is the damage potential too small and the cost too high?

In this part of the study, the researchers calculate how much one can expect to save or lose by implementing preventive measures along the same stretch of road for which one calculates climate risk. The basis for the calculation is thus the risk assessment from the first method.

E-road 39

The road that will serve as a case in the study is a longer stretch of E39 between Agder and Sogn og Fjordane. Europaveg 39 starts in Trøndelag and runs via Trondheim, Ålesund, Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. The road was named E39 19 years ago.

Western Norway Research Institute is carrying out the project together with Menon Economics. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is the client.

The reports from the project can be found on Western Norway Research Institute's website.

start date: 25.09.2019

end date: 31.12.2019

financed by: The Norwegian Public Roads Administration

 
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Unchain

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Unpacking climate impact CHAINs. A new generation of action – and user-oriented climate change risk assessments (Unchain)

Unchain is an international research project about analyzing local climate risk together with the local inhabitants at the site. Western Norway Research Institute is leading the project, which has participants from several European countries.

The full project title of the Unchain project is Unpacking climate impact chains. A new generation of action- and user-oriented climate change risk assessments. In the years to come, climate change will continue to affect nature and society in various ways. This creates a number of undesirable climate risks, ranging from the increased risk of flooding in the cities to the fact that drinking water in the tap more often makes people ill due to increased run-off.

Risk can in most cases be reduced through various forms of adaptation measures. Traditionally, researchers and other "experts" have analyzed climate risk, but in Unchain, researchers and so-called "users" - people from outside academia - must work together to develop new methods for analyzing climate risk. The benefit is that one can pay more attention to local knowledge. The goal is that such a method in the next round will make it easier to design effective climate adaptation measures.

Other institutes in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Austria, Sweden and France also participates. The Norwegian part of the research is funded by the Research Council of Norway. The total budget for the project is NOK 20 million. The work will begin in September 2019 and will last for three years.

Read more about the project here.

START date: 01.09.2019

end date: 01.09.2022

financed by: the research council of norway

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Climate consequences Rogaland

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Assessing the consequences of climate change on nature and society in Rogaland - challenges, opportunities and priorities

In 2020, Rogaland will have its first county-wide climate adaptation plan, and Noradapt will provide an important part of the knowledge base.

The academic contribution is about describing the challenges and opportunities of climate change for the municipalities in Rogaland. The researchers from Western Norway Research Institute, CICERO and NORCE Social Sciences will propose measures and priorities for measures for Rogaland County Municipality. They will also contribute to compiling existing information on the consequences of climate change for nature and society in Rogaland.

financial consequences

Noradapt si utgreiing om klimakonsekvensar i Rogaland skal hjelpe Rogaland fylkeskommune i skrivinga av Regionalplan for klimatilpasning i Rogaland 2020-2050. Planen skal vedtakast hausten 2020.

Noradapt will map the consequences of climate change for different types of land in the county, with the main emphasis on vulnerability and robustness. In order to make the challenges concrete for the county municipality, the researchers will perform scenario assessments in selected areas. The economic consequences of climate change in various areas of society receive the greatest attention in this study.

Local profiles

The researchers aim to create climate profiles at the municipal level. Such profiles can be an important tool for systematizing local climate knowledge, as regional or county-specific climate profiles can become too general.

THREE steps

The work Noradapt performs for Rogaland County Council is divided into three sections:

  1. Analyze the overall consequences of climate change on nature and society in Rogaland

  2. Identify vulnerable and robust areas in Rogaland and discuss status, scenario and example

  3. Assess whether one can develop local climate profiles with an ecosystem approach, ie make connections between climate effects and what kind of habitat types characterize an area.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute is a subcontractor of local climate analyzes in the project.

Read reports from the project on Western Norway Research Institutes's website.

START date: 20.08.19

end date: 31.12.19

financed by: ROGALAND FYLKESKOMMUNE

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Textbook in climate adaptation and spatial planning

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As the teaching within climate adaptation is developing at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and at other universities, there is a need for scientific literature on the subject. The textbook shall be aimed at Nordic conditions within spatial planning with emphasis on sustainable solutions.

The editorial team consists of associate professor Marte Lange Vik and associate professor Eli Heiberg, both at the Department of Environment and Natural Sciences at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and researcher Mari Hanssen Korsbrekke at Western Norway Research Institute.

start date: 01.07.2019

end date: 31.12.2020

Financed by: Noradapt 

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Debris flow in spatial planning

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Lessons from this summer's landslide events and the work with forest management in landslide-dangerous terrain in Jølster municipality are the basis of this project.

Intense precipitation triggered several landslides in Jølster in July 2019. The tracks on the mountainside were visible for a long time after the events. (Photo: Eivind Brendehaug)

The project draws lessons from landslide events (debris flow) in Jølster, which is now part of Sunnfjord municipality, in the summer of 2019. The goal is to increase knowledge about what is needed to change practice and think about landslide prevention in forest management.

The researchers map debris flows that have been triggered by intense rainfall, and look at the role that landowners, forest management and municipalities (in municipal planning processes) play in the forest in connection with risk management.

The project is carried out by associate professor Denise Ruther and university lecturer Lisbeth Dahle, both at the Department of Environmental and Natural Sciences at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.

start date: 01.07.2019

end date: 31.12.2020

Financed by: Noradapt

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Climate adaptation in the national park municipalities

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Climate change is affecting national parks and their surrounding areas. More and heavier precipitation makes it e.g. difficult to get to the hiking area. In some places, increasing ice melting is preventing traffic on the glacier. At the Nigard glacier in Jostedalen (pictured), the glacier guides had to cut out the guided family trip in 2019 (photo: Wikimedia Commons).

In a pilot project funded by the Norwegian Environment Agency, Western Norway Research Institute is investigating how climate adaptation can be included in the set of criteria for obtaining status as a national park municipality. The project will also help to raise knowledge about how climate change affects the Norwegian national park municipalities.

All municipalities that have the status of a national park municipality or have a town with the status of a national park village, can apply to become a member of the association Norwegian National Park Municipalities (NPKL). The criteria have been prepared by the Norwegian Environment Agency. NPKL currently has 32 members, while the number of municipalities that can choose to apply for a membership is 102.

Western Norway Research Institute is carrying out the pilot project in collaboration with Norway's national park municipalities and Lesja municipality. An important goal of the project is to prepare a main project where the member municipalities are involved. The idea is that the main project will take a closer look at competence-enhancing measures that can equip the national park municipalities to meet the challenges that come with climate change.

Read more on Western Norway Research Institutes's website.

START date: 01.05.2019

end date: 01.05.2020

FINANanced by: the Norwegian Environment Agency