Knowledge Hubs

Knowledge Hubs

Based on the cooperation of its member countries, JPI Climate is leading on the aligned development of climate change research in the Europe Research Area (ERA). The JPI Climate mission is to inform the implementation of the Paris Agreement and SDGs by providing knowledge to inform effective responses to climate change. Operationally it is focused on the provision of new knowledge by connecting research funders and performers and investing in areas of common interest.

In the global context Europe is recognized as leader in climate change science and research. Currently the three Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Groups are hosted in European countries. This reflects ongoing and strategic investments in climate research and infrastructures including advanced observational systems such as Copernicus. The members of JPI Climate have a shared interest in ensuring the continued excellence of European research pursued through the development of the ERA.

However, there are significant structural and institutional gaps that reduce Europe’s capacity to realise the full potential of these climate research investments. These gaps limit the impacts of the scientific strengths and excellence that exist across Europe. For example, the absence of an authoritative European scientific assessment and communication mechanisms one such gap. Consequently, Europe is reliant on international bodies and particularly the IPCC to provide authoritative state of knowledge for policy making and climate action

The European Green Deal with its objective of making Europe the first climate neutral continent by 2050 is ambitious. It confirms Europe’s position as a leader in climate action. This level of ambition is essential to the achievement of the Paris Agreement temperature goal. Its achievement will rely on the ongoing support, insights and solutions that science and innovation can provide.

The Knowledge Hubs aim to build on the work of the IPCC in order to establish a European assessment and communication mechanisms which dynamically links science, policy and practice and provides rapid, transparent, robust and authoritative analysis.

The Sea Level Rise Knowledge Hub (KH SLR) is a joint effort by JPI Climate Action Group Next Generation of Climate Sciences in Europe & JPI Oceans with the support of SINCERE, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Deltares, and CNRM Météo-France.

Objectives

The Boards of JPI Climate and JPI Oceans approved the Terms of Reference late 2019, kickstarting the preparatory phase where structures are formally established and activities are implemented. Meetings with interested funding organizations and ministries were held in April and June 2020, consolidating support from several JPI Climate and JPI Oceans Member States. In November 2020, the Boards approved the Roadmap for the first phase of implementation of the KH SLR, leading to a large expert scoping conference to be held in early 2022, and the Governance Structure of the KH SLR.

The Knowledge Hub on Sea Level Rise focuses on regional to local sea level changes in Europe and the needs and involvement of policy making and coastal planning. It aims to provide a networking platform to promote exchange, synthesis, integration and generation of knowledge on regional and global, historic and future sea level rise to support development and implementation of related policies at local, national and European level. The platform will facilitate the interaction between research and policy professionals with different disciplinary backgrounds and expertise by assessing and communicating recent scientific and socio-economic developments at an aggregation level adjusted to ongoing themes and debates in policy and public arenas.

Read further on the KH SLR website.

The Knowledge Hub on Climate Neutrality structurally will encompass

The scientific communities
Policy and decision makers
Practitioners and stakeholders in public and private sector settings

It will be focused on European and the information and analysis needs across a range of scales in Europe. It will also have global reach and impacts and should be positioned to inform the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement global Stock Take process.

The JPI Climate objective is to establish and ensure the sustained operation of this type of KH which are designed to inform achievement of European policy and societal goals and which will also systematically identify research gaps and inform future research investments.

Stay up to date with all research and results of JPI Climate.