Groningen residents roll up their sleeves for climate adaptation

This year, Groningen revolves around dealing with the effects of climate adaptation, culminating in the Climate Adaptation Week from 19 to 25 January 2021. During this week, various activities will take place in the city and surrounding region. The goal of these activities is to stimulate awareness and action among Groningen residents concerning climate adaptation. The UG is a partner in the Climate Adaptation Week.

Climate adaptation is all about adjusting to the consequences of climate change. Drought, heat stress and flooding are also perceptible in our province. Groningen residents are being encouraged to take action together and take measures to respond to the effects of climate change. In addition, Groningen is demonstrating the knowledge and practical applications that it possesses to deploy at both a national and international level. It is in this context that diverse activities and initiatives are being put into motion.

Approaching & adjusting

In the second half of 2020, public activities will take place during which the emphasis will lie on becoming acquainted with and fostering climate adaptation actions. In addition, an Open University initiative will be organized through which the UG, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Noorderpoort, Alfa College and the Global Center of Adaptation will join forces to invite interested parties into the world of climate adaptation.

Meanwhile, the official kick-off of the design manifestation has already taken place. Eight international design agencies are demonstrating how four locations in Groningen and four locations across the country can be equipped in a (more) climate-proof way.

Students will also be intensively involved in the theme, for example through the international Youth for Climate Adaptation summit to be held on 22 January 2021, organized by and for young people. Finally, Nobel Prize winners in various categories, such as Peace and Economics, will be invited to share their visions on the necessity of adjusting to climate change and how to go about this.

Website

The website www.klimaatadaptatiegroningen.nl highlights the many initiatives, projects and activities that are taking place in the city and province under the theme of climate adaptation. In this way, Groningen is taking the first step to put a climate adaptation movement into motion. Investing in climate adaptation as a region is important. Regional awareness is being encouraged and Groningen has the possibility to become internationally valuable for its knowledge and expertise in this area. Additionally, Groningen will already prepare its residents for any possible disruptions to our society and how to deal with these during the Climate Adaptation Week – an investment in a more resilient Groningen.

Climate Adaptation Summit 2021

The international Climate Adaptation Summit is taking place in The Hague on 25 January 2021. During this summit, world leaders will get together (online) to commit themselves to concrete actions concerning climate adaptation. As the joint location of the Global Center on Adaptation, alongside Groningen, Rotterdam will also host a number of activities on climate adaptation in the run-up to the summit.

The Climate Adaptation Week in Groningen is an initiative of the Groningen Agreement and the Global Center on Adaptation, and is partly made possible by the Groningen National Programme.