In 2020, Groningen will focus on dealing with climate change
with the highlight being the Climate Adaptation Week in October 2020.
In 2020, Groningen will be completely devoted to dealing with the possible effects of climate change or in other words climate adaptation. The highlight is the Climate Adaptation Week from Monday 19 to Saturday 24 October 2020. This is an initiative of the municipality of Groningen with the partners of the Akkoord of Groningen and the Global Center on Adaptation. The year 2020 is also internationally the year of action on climate adaptation. On October 22, 2020 world leaders come together in Amsterdam during the Climate Adaptation Summit to commit to concrete actions. Following this, activities will be organized in the host cities of the Global Center: Rotterdam and Groningen. In 2020, Groningen wants to generate attention for accelerating climate adaptation among companies, scientists, residents, education and governments. Groningen presents itself to the world with the many projects, testing grounds and activities that take place in the area of climate adaptation.
Regional pilot projects from the Northern Netherlands are shown
On 17 October 2018, former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon opened the Global Center on Adaptation in Groningen. He is co-chair of a Global Comission on Adaptation which recently presented a flagship report at the UN climate summit in New York, which resulted in a Year of Action on climate adaptation 2020. The Global Center supports this commission, including research and pilot projects. In the climate year, Groningen highlights local and regional examples, such as the 2,500 ha of the Onlanden water storage area that protects Groningen from wet feet or the salty cultivation of test fields in which experiments are carried out with climate-proof agricultural products. The close cooperation with the Global Center on Adaptation offers Groningen the opportunity to showcase the region internationally when it comes to climate adaptation and the exchange of knowledge.
Various activities related to climate adaptation
To demonstrate the different aspects of climate adaptation and specific expertise in the Northern Netherlands, various climate activities will be organized throughout the year 2020, with an emphasis in the Climate Adaptation Week in October 2020. Groningen and Rotterdam together offer a platform where science, government and the private sector will be able to exchange state-of-the-art ideas. In addition, there will be a manifestation in Groningen about climate-proof design of the living environment and young people will be involved in the theme in form of a Youth Summit. The municipality of Groningen and IVN Natuureducatie are intending to collaborate together with other parties to develop an educational program on climate adapation. Furthermore, various public activities will be organized to involve everyone with this theme.
The why behind the climate adaptation year
The climate is changing and that change has a major impact on our lives. Not only on the weather, but also on our ecosystem, our soil condition, our food supply, our health and our safety. Climate change can no longer be reversed. The consequences are immediately noticeable locally: flooding, heat stress and drought. Various solutions are being worked on locally that not only have to work well technically, but are also affordable and fit into our social structures. To prepare the city and region for climate change, we need everyone to properly cope with the changing climate in the long term: residents, policy makers, companies, knowledge and educational institutions. The climate year is meant to bring everyone together and take action together
The Climate Adaptation Week 2020 in Groningen is part of the Climate Adaptation Week 2020 and the Climate Adaptation Summit 2020.
Stay informed of all plans!
In 2020, Groningen will be all about dealing with the possible effects of climate change, or climate adaptation. At the moment we are working hard behind the scenes to organize and arrange everything.
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