Climate change is one of the greatest problems of our time. Despite this, it is proving difficult to create policies aimed at preventing the earth from heating up. There is often too little support for this, in part because people possess little climate knowledge and are uncertain about forthcoming changes. How do we ensure that professionals interpret data on climate change accurately? And that they are able to translate this information to a message for a wider audience?
It is not easy to gain a clear overview of all the available information on climate change and climate data. That is why we are developing freely available online reading material, cut up into bite-sized portions of knowledge, on climate change and climate data. The first modules are available (in Dutch) via the Centre of Expertise City Net Zero learning platform.
Because of climate change, we are having to cope increasingly frequently with heat, and for longer periods of time. It is causing buildings and houses to heat up, leaving residents unable to cool off at night, which adversely affects their sleep. This leads to deleterious effects on health, labour productivity, and quality of life. Through our ‘1001 Hete Nachten’ project, we are investigating where heat is located in space and what measures can limit nocturnal heat.
Climate information is often abstract However, people become interested once they see what climate change means for their own living and working environments. That is why we are developing a web page where people can easily access local climate information, guidance, and FAQs. This will enable us to examine whether local information does indeed contribute towards climate knowledge.
Dr. Janette Bessembinder works as a professor of Climate Literacy at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. She also works at the The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), tailoring climate data and information for users from a wide range of sectors.
