Using Urban Climate Modelling to Support Climate Change Adaptation in Small- to Medium-sized Cities in Austria

Stefan GuggenbergerMunicipal Authority of the City of Klagenfurt on lake WörtherseeDepartment for Climate and Environmental Protectionstefan.guggenberger@klagenfurt.at

www.adapt-uhi.org

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzKlagenfurt

8/7/2019 Stefan Guggenberger, BSc 2

appx. 1500 km

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzKlagenfurt on lake Wörthersee

8/7/2019 Stefan Guggenberger, BSc 3

• 100,000 inhabitants

• 160,000 daytime population

• 120 km2

• Capital of Province of Carinthia

• Trade and school center of the region

• Center quite densly populated

• Forests and agricultural land

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzChallenges due to climate change• Alpine regions are more affected by climate change than the global

average

• Changes in the vegetation• Domestic tree species suffer from heat and drought stress• Water availability during heat waves

• Extreme weather events• Although the annual precipitation decreases, the intensity of precipitation increases• Hailstorm• Heat waves and periods of drought

• Demographic challenges• City is growing, average age increases

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Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzUrban Heat IslandsHeat islands in the city are seen in Klagenfurt as one of the main problems of the urban climate.The urban climate deviates from the climatic conditions of the surrounding area, in particular because it has higher temperatures. These heat islands are defined by the temperature difference between land and city (Brandenburg et. al 2015: p. 7).

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Brandenburg et. al 2015

BASS ET AL 2002: S. 5

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzADAPT-UHI

8/7/2019 Stefan Guggenberger, BSc 6

Title: Using Urban Climate Modelling to Support Climate Change Adaptation in Small- to Medium-sized Cities in Austria

Simulation of urban heat islands (UHI) in the cities of Klagenfurt, Mödling and Salzburg. Simulation of climate change adaptation measures taking into account the IPCC scenarios.Assistance of decision-making and planning of adaptation measures.

ADAPT-UHI

Austrian Climate Research Programme 2017Duration: 2 years (03/2018 – 03/2020)Total costs: 249.936€

Consortium:IIASA – International Institute for Applied Systems AnalysisUBA – Environmental agency AustriaZAMG – Central Institute of Meteorology and GeodynamicsIPAK – International Projekt Management Agency Klagenfurt

Pilot cities: Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Mödling

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzMethodology

8/7/2019 Stefan Guggenberger, BSc 7

Status Parameter Input dataset Orography Klagenfurt Land use classes URBAN ATLAS + LISA Building shape LISA, Klagenfurt Building hight DKM_GEBAEUDE Wall area index LISA Soil surfaces COPERNICUS: paved areas, LISA

Tree heightStem heightTree cover

Tree cataster KlagenfurtCOPERNICUS: tree cover densityLISA

Vegetation LISA Vegetation height Klagenfurt

Green roof potential Blue areas LISA, Klagenfurt

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzMethodology

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Abteilung Klima- und Umweltschutz

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Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzValid?

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Station1981-2010

Measurement Modell Bias

KGF Airport 54.6 54.2 -1%Tainach -

Niederdorf 51.6 54.5 +5%

Average amount of summer days (>25°C) 1981-2010

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzFuture Scenarios

8/7/2019 Stefan Guggenberger, BSc 111971-2000

2021-2050

2071-2100

RCP 8.5

RCP 4.5

min.: 1.5 max.: 78.2 mean: 38.1

min.: 5.8 max.: 98.0 mean: 55.7

min.: 9.0 max.: 108.3 mean: 65.6

min.: 5.7 max.: 99.1 mean: 56.0

min.: 24.5 max.: 131.8 mean: 92.5

Mean annual number of summer days (Tmax ≥ 25 °C)

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzCity Development

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• Increasing the albedo affects the microclimate better than green areas.

• Green areas, however, convince with arguments such as water retentions and biodiversity.

• Ideal for the future would be a combination of green areas, bright surfaces and trees.

Abteilung Klima- und UmweltschutzBenefits of the project

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Attention and awareness to climate change and urban heat islands

Identifying heat islands in Klagenfurt now and in the future

Development of accurate adaptation measures on the basis of the simulations

Argumentation base in the discussion with stakeholders

Slide 1KlagenfurtKlagenfurt on lake WörtherseeChallenges due to climate changeUrban Heat IslandsADAPT-UHIMethodologyMethodologySlide 9Valid?Future ScenariosCity DevelopmentBenefits of the project