Climatization

Challenges 

Rising sea levels, floods from lakes and rivers, extreme rainfalls, heatwaves, drought – the list of effects from global heating can be extensive.

The effects do not only change the conditions for our nature but also for how societies can function. Crisis responses, agricultural businesses, infrastructure and urban planning are only a few of the areas where climate changes must be taken into a greater consideration in order to develop functioning societies.

For instance, the rising sea levels are already today an important factor for urban planning in coastal regions. Climatization needs to play an even bigger part in the planning and building processes.

The challenges with climatization seldom takes consideration to borders and different subjects. As most of the effects from climate changes are connected to geography basic geodata plays an important role in order to create a more robust society that can manage the effects of climate change.

Geodata visualize and explains

Geodata is needed to visualize and explain complex processes from large amounts of data. They make it possible to simulate, analyze, describe consequences and plan what measures to take to climate adjustments.

The differences in geography within the country means that the need for geodata varies from region to region. For a coastal community the erosion of shores can be a big problem whereas for small inland communities flooding from rivers and lakes can be the biggest challenge.

The access to geodata open possibilities for innovation and the use of modern techniques such as artificial intelligence to support climatization.

Geodata creates conditions for efficient communication and information about climatization. When a situation is made concrete and is visualized for as well individuals as societies making the right decision will be easier in different fields.

All areas in society are affected

A change in climate will affect all parts of society. In the national strategy for climatization seven areas are prioritized. These are:

• dilapidations, landslides and erosion that pose a threat to communities, infrastructure and businesses.
• floods that pose a threat to communities, infrastructure and businesses.
• high temperatures that endangers health and well-being for both humans and animals.
• shortages of water supplies for individuals, agriculture and industries.
• biological and ecological effects that affects a sustainable development.
• effects on national and international production of food and commerce.
• increased numbers of pests, deceases and invasive, foreign species that affect humans, animals and plants.

Geodata can contribute to an increased knowledge base in society in all the seven prioritized areas.

Climatization need cooperation

In order to manage the seven prioritized areas in the national strategy for climatization an extensive work with climatization is taking place in Sweden. The work is being done at different levels of society and within different areas of responsibilities. This demands cooperation and coordination between many different actors especially within the geodata field.

The national authorities play an important part when it comes to taking initiatives, supporting and evaluating the work with climatization within their fields. The county administration boards have a regional responsibility for the coordination. Local authorities have a central role, for example as mandators for the supply of technical information in connection to physical planning. Land owners and private companies are responsible for the climatization of properties and businesses.

This is what we want to achieve in the challenge climatization:

• Geodata is used to its full potential in order to meet the effects of a changing climate.
  
  
• The user has an understanding for what data that is suitable for different purposes.
  
  
• Actors in the field of climatization has access to a well-developed support for the use of geodata in the work with climatization, for example through information, support for methods and tools.

This is how we reach the goals:

• Having a good dialogue between different actors.
  
  
• Improved access to geodata based on known needs, for example for the coastal and shore zones in Sweden.
  
  
• A developed and increased knowledge about the users need for geodata and climatization.
  
  
• An increased cooperation between universities, colleges, research organizations, businesses and authorities in order to identify common needs for research, innovation and new techniques regarding geodata for climatization.
  
  
• Produce wanted support for the use of geodata such as trainings, tools and standardized basic documents for procurement.
  
  
• Create a support for decision making where geodata and associated material for support are categorized by wanted themes or by events/scenarios.