The impacts of climate change are increasingly being felt, particularly in Europe, where extreme weather events such as heat waves, forest fires, droughts, heavier precipitation, and increased risks of flooding and erosion are becoming more frequent. Despite ongoing mitigation efforts, the consequences of climate change are expected to escalate in the coming decades. Therefore, adaptation measures are necessary to address the unavoidable impacts.
CEN-CENELEC Coordination Group ‘Adaptation to Climate Change’ (ACC-CG)
The EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change (COM(2021) 82 final) calls upon European Standardization Organizations to contribute to the collective effort of making Europe more climate-resilient. Recognizing the pivotal role of standards in enhancing climate resilience, the strategy emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the resilience of infrastructures to the changing climate.
In response to this imperative, the CEN-CENELEC Adaptation to Climate Change Coordination Group (ACC-CG) was established to promote the integration of climate change adaptation aspects into standards.
The ACC-CG is committed to the following key activities:
1. Raise awareness and foster motivation
We understand that raising awareness is essential for catalyzing change. Through ongoing engagement with diverse stakeholders, we emphasize the significance of incorporating climate change adaptation into standardization efforts. We review existing guidance documents and intent to develop new ones tailored to mainstreaming climate resilience into standards, ensuring alignment with the latest scientific evidence and emerging methodologies.
2. Assistance and build capacity
Many Technical Committees encounter challenges related to capacity and resources in addressing climate change adaptation. It is imperative to invest in building expertise within TCs to navigate the complexities of integrating climate adaptation aspects into standards. This includes providing training, access to relevant resources, and establishing support networks for TC experts, thus facilitating the inclusion of future climate considerations in their standardization work.
3. Address the complexity of future climate information
Traditional standardization relies heavily on historical data. However, given the uncertainties associated with climate change, it is imperative to integrate future climate projections into standards. This necessitates the development of guidance on accessing, interpreting, and effectively applying future climate data. By collaborating with climate science specialists and data providers, we ensure that standards reflect the most current understanding of climate trends and variability.
4. Foster collaboration and information exchange
Collaboration lies at the core of effective standardization for climate adaptation. We advocate for open dialogue and knowledge sharing among TCs, standardization bodies, climate scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders. By facilitating information exchange and collaboration, we harness collective expertise and insights to develop robust standards that effectively address the challenges posed by climate change.
Through these concerted efforts, the ACC-CG aims to contribute to the development of standards that enhance climate resilience and help mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on our societies and environments.
