How can climate information help railway organisations

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By Eva Boon, Merlijn van Selm and Hasse Goosen 
 
30 / 11 / 2022 
 
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For a European project, we did research into the need for climate information among railway organisations in three countries: Austria, the UK and the Netherlands. In the article Climate services for the railway sector: A synthesis of adaptation information needs in Europe in the scientific journal Frontiers in Climate, we explore how organisations are preparing for the consequences of climate change. And we investigated whether European climate data from the Copernicus Climate Service could help them. Using European data could prevent problems at the border for international rail links.

Photo: ProRail – Stefan Verkerk

Hasse Goosen weet alles over dit project

Approach differs by country

The article gives an overview of all possible climate risks for the rail network. We found striking differences between countries’ approaches. For example, Network Rail in the UK has a comprehensive climate adaptation and resilience programme, but detailed spatial information on risks is lacking. In the Netherlands, rail operator ProRail did conduct a very clear spatial stress test. Austria’s ÖBB is particularly strong on disaster recovery.

Standards still based on past climate

The standards that railway organisations use for their development, management and maintenance are now often still based on past climate. So these standards do not yet look ahead.

Organisations use national data

In addition, organisations prefer to use national data instead of European data. This is because national data is more accurate and takes better account of local risks. However, national data does miss certain climate information that is relevant for rail. Moreover, what information is missing varies from country to country.

Need for knowledge exchange

The organisations can learn a lot from each other. And especially for international rail connections, it would be good to arrive at a common approach. This would require more knowledge exchange between countries, according to the organisations that participated in the study. In any case, the results of this study encourage ProRail to continue working on a climate-resilient rail system. And if possible, it will collaborate with other rail operators in Europe in doing so.

PRIME Taskforce Climate Change

The European Union recently decided to set up a PRIME Taskforce Climate Change. PRIME is an official ‘EU Expert Group’ in which all rail operators from the EU get together with the European Commission. An important part of the Climate Change Taskforce will be the pooling of knowledge and a possible approach to climate adaptation of railways at European level. Using European climate data and making that information more tailor-made can be part of this.

Approach differs by country

The article gives an overview of all possible climate risks for the rail network. We found striking differences between countries’ approaches. For example, Network Rail in the UK has a comprehensive climate adaptation and resilience programme, but detailed spatial information on risks is lacking. In the Netherlands, rail operator ProRail did conduct a very clear spatial stress test. Austria’s ÖBB is particularly strong on disaster recovery.

Standards still based on past climate

The standards that railway organisations use for their development, management and maintenance are now often still based on past climate. So these standards do not yet look ahead.

Organisations use national data

In addition, organisations prefer to use national data instead of European data. This is because national data is more accurate and takes better account of local risks. However, national data does miss certain climate information that is relevant for rail. Moreover, what information is missing varies from country to country.

Need for knowledge exchange

The organisations can learn a lot from each other. And especially for international rail connections, it would be good to arrive at a common approach. This would require more knowledge exchange between countries, according to the organisations that participated in the study. In any case, the results of this study encourage ProRail to continue working on a climate-resilient rail system. And if possible, it will collaborate with other rail operators in Europe in doing so.

PRIME Taskforce Climate Change

The European Union recently decided to set up a PRIME Taskforce Climate Change. PRIME is an official ‘EU Expert Group’ in which all rail operators from the EU get together with the European Commission. An important part of the Climate Change Taskforce will be the pooling of knowledge and a possible approach to climate adaptation of railways at European level. Using European climate data and making that information more tailor-made can be part of this.

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