Impetus4Change (I4C) is a Horizon research project where climate, city and social experts work together to improve the quality and delivery of near-term climate predictions for cities and regions. Despite the increased awareness surrounding the climate crisis, there is still an information gap regarding the time scales at which action must be taken to avert the worst impacts of global warming. Cities across the globe are currently facing negative impacts due to climate change, namely extreme weather events and their aftereffects. This poses many challenges as extremes weather events combined with densely populated areas can result in catastrophic losses. Urban decision-making requires timely, tailored, science-based climate information and services at the local scale to support adaptation and planning efforts. In line with the EU’s Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change for a “climate prepared and resilient Europe” by 2030, I4C aims to improve the quality, accessibility and usability of near-term climate information and services at local to regional scales.
To this end four European cities were selected to serve as demonstrators for the transdisciplinary co-production process, which will distill the scientific advances in I4C into actionable climate information. The demonstrators will be used to showcase innovative approaches and examples for implementing effective and locally tailored strategies to address climate challenges.
Barcelona: I4C tackles the impact on public health in response to rising temperatures and heat waves. Actions include a vulnerability assessment of the unequal distribution of heat-related impacts, designing public spaces as climate shelters, and policy insights for housing retrofitting and urban regeneration.
Bergen: I4C aims to address flooding challenges by studying hydrological patterns and their relationship to floods, involving local stakeholders in assessing historical damage, and utilizing models to simulate hydrological events in the city. The end goal is to develop a tailored hydrological risk assessment for urban planning and adaptation decisions.
Paris: To tackle the urban heat island in Paris, I4C will integrate urban climate response into urban planning to develop mitigation strategies. This involves assessing health impacts and stakeholder needs, conducting high-resolution climate simulations, and combining impact indicators with sociodemographic and epidemiological data to evaluate health risks.
Prague: In response to urban heat island impacts on air quality, I4C will conduct a study in collaboration with local stakeholders using simulations to assess the potential for green infrastructure to mitigate adverse effects. The simulations will inform future planning needs, including considerations for quality, health, and the implementation of adaptation measures.
