(LC-CLA-12-2020) - ADVANCING CLIMATE SERVICES
Call: Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future: climate action in support of the Paris Agreement EU
Topic description
Specific Challenge:
Under the Paris Agreement it was agreed to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response. It was also recognised that there is a need to enhance action on adaptation with regard to strengthening scientific knowledge on climate, including research, systematic observation of the climate system and early warning systems, in a manner that informs climate services and supports decision-making, including the socio-economic analysis of adaptation options for key impact areas. Recent advances have led to the creation of very large amounts of climate data. It is important that we are able to use said data (in particular data provided by the Copernicus programme) and create services that communicate and deliver bespoke critical climate information to better inform risk-aware decision making and adaptation strategies.
Scope:The proposed action should address only one of the following sub-topics:
a) Mapping European coastal infrastructure at risk from sea-level rise:
Actions should undertake a new high-resolution mapping of predictions of future sea levels against European coastal elevation and identify risks to relevant coastal infrastructure. Actions should deliver an engaging, interactive and authoritative map of the European coastal zone perceived to be at risk of inundation due to future predicted changes in relative sea levels. Actions should also include low-probability high-impact scenarios and account for local, regional and global processes driving changes in coastal elevation. Actions may further consider the impact of adaptation measures (e.g. barriers) that are already in place and projected impacts on population displacements. Cooperation with projects under topic LC-CLA-13-2020 and other relevant on-going Horizon 2020 projects is encouraged.
b) Detection and attribution of extreme events using Artificial Intelligence:
Actions should explore novel approaches for detection and localisation of extreme events, including tropical cyclones and heat waves, and for quantifying extreme events trends in current day and future climate change scenarios. Actions should develop artificial intelligence techniques (e.g., deep learning) to detect spatial and temporal patterns and evolutions of climatological fields (e.g., temperature) associated with extreme events. These techniques should be capable of discriminating between different variables based on the event type and capable of handling events at various spatial scales. Particular consideration should also be given to associated impacts and attribution to climate change. Where appropriate, actions should take advantage of data provided by the Copernicus programme.
c) Impacts of overshooting:
Understanding how rising global temperature translates to impacts for society and natural ecosystems is critical in order to prepare for, and strive to reduce, the magnitude of climate change. While global temperature is a good indicator of global change, local impacts can be much more pronounced. Actions should assess and report on the impacts associated with overshooting temperature goals set by the Paris Agreement. Actions should highlight regional differences in associated impacts and identify possible adaptation measures and solutions.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU in the range of EUR 4-6 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. For the evaluation procedure, the following provision applies: at least one proposal per sub-topic will be funded, provided it passed all thresholds.
Expected Impact:The project results are expected to contribute to:
- enhanced adaptive capacity;
- reduced vulnerability to climate change;
- enhanced action on adaptation;
- strengthened scientific knowledge on climate;
- better informed climate services and decision-making.