At the heart of the global warming negotiations

Published on 04/12/2015

Limiting global temperature increase to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels is the main issue that all attention is currently focused on in Paris at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), which takes place from 30 November to 11 December 2015.

LIST has been working on this topic, which is the subject of research all around the globe, for many years, particularly in the context of the activities of its Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) department, which brings together experts in climatology, hydrology, renewable energy, agronomy, air quality, biodiversity. By combining high spatial resolution climate projections with observational data thanks to its very dense hydroclimatological measurement network, they perform climate change impact studies in the fields of agriculture, water resources management, biodiversity and human health.

One of these experts, Dr. Andrew Ferrone, is also Luxembourg's representative to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body providing decision makers with detailed assessment reports about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its causes, response strategies and potential impacts. LIST is specifically active in this last area and, thanks to its expertise, it also supports the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructures within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As a member of the Luxembourg delegation to Paris led by the Minister of the Environment, Carole Dieschbourg, and as scientific advisor within the delegation, Dr Andrew Ferrone is attending negotiations during these two crucial weeks for the climate and taking advantage of the opportunity to highlight research carried out at LIST.

Some PROJECTIONS for Luxembourg

Global warming, with its impact on the entire planet, concerns all of us, and Luxembourg is obviously not spared. Increasing temperatures will impact the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, but to what extent? LIST has conducted numerous studies that have enabled it to elaborate several projections for the country concerning global warming by the end of the 21st century, including the following key data for a scenario in the middle of the range proposed by the IPCC:

  • Winter rainfall: an increase of about 35 litres per m2
  • Summer rainfall: a decrease of about 60 litres per m2
  • Average annual temperatures: an increase of 3 to 4 degrees · Growing season: a lengthening of about 50 days with earlier crop development
  • Number of so-called "tropical" nights, during which the minimum temperatures remain above 20° C: up to 8 for northern Luxembourg (Oesling region) and 15 for the centre and south (Gutland region) compared to an average of one in the last thirty years.

For further information about LIST activities in the field of the environment, visit the dedicated webpage.

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