Climate Action

There is no doubt that the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are changing our living environment. Climate change is in our hands. We need to both work on limiting it as much as we can (mitigation), but we will also have to learn to adapt to new circumstances. TU Delft will harness its innovative powers to support the world-wide transition to non-fossil resources, and adaptation of the living environment to the consequences of global warming.

The problem is complex and urgent – but we have no other choice than to be optimistic and use all of our capacity to face the challenge, through our education programs and our research.

For more information, see:

In the Climate Action research programme, we start from four themes we consider to be paramount for future Climate Action:

The TU Delft vision on Climate Action is deeply founded in preceding decades of university wide climate action research. The goal of the Climate action research programme is to build on current strengths and identify the areas where there is a need to strengthen our capacities to keep up our (inter)national reputation as climate action university.

Climate Action News

21 June 2021

Broad support for ambitious climate policy if four conditions are met

Broad support for ambitious climate policy if four conditions are met

Onderzoekers stelden ruim 10.000 Nederlanders in staat de overheid te adviseren over klimaatbeleid. Het eindrapport is nu online.

17 June 2021

Sand on the horizon

Sand on the horizon

It’s a decade since the creation of the Sand Motor, an artificial sand bank off the North Sea coast. What happens to a natural system following human intervention on such a large scale? That question has been the focus of professor of Coastal Engineering Stefan Aarninkhof’s research for the last ten years. The results, he hopes, will pave the way to a full-scale experimental climate lab.

17 May 2021

TU Delft develops helpful cost guidelines for carbon capture

TU Delft develops helpful cost guidelines for carbon capture

Het afvangen en opslaan van CO2 is een van de vele technologieën die nodig zijn om klimaatverandering tegen te gaan. De technologie is beschikbaar en wordt al in diverse projecten toegepast, maar nog niet op wereldwijde schaal toegepast. Het gebrek aan kennis over de kosten van CO2-afvang en -opslag (CCS) kan ertoe leiden dat investeerders zich terugtrekken. Een wereldwijd consortium van twaalf onderzoekers op het gebied van CCS, onder leiding van Andrea Ramirez van de TU Delft, heeft samengewerkt aan een uitgebreide whitepaper. Het whitepaper helpt te begrijpen hoe de kosten van projecten voor CO2-afvang en -opslag correct kunnen worden geraamd.

29 April 2021

1,000 rivers emit nearly 80% of global ocean plastic pollution

1,000 rivers emit nearly 80% of global ocean plastic pollution

A publication in Science Advances sheds new light on where and how much plastic flows into the oceans via rivers.

14 April 2021

TU Delft research partner at solar parking lot in Dronten

TU Delft research partner at solar parking lot in Dronten

A parking lot with solar panels where renewable energy generation, electric charging and energy storage are cleverly integrated. In the Municipality of Dronten, the official opening of a parking lot with 1,100 solar panels is taking place today, which, in combination with a large battery, will make the town hall energy-neutral.


Climate Action News

05 March 2024

Taking the pulse of Earth’s ecosystems

Taking the pulse of Earth’s ecosystems

Susan Steele-Dunne has been awarded a NWO Vici grant. She will explore how to monitor the pulse of the Earth’s ecosystems using radar observations. Variations in radar observations from a forest during a day can reveal early warning signs of declining health conditions of a forest. An improved understanding of these processes will allow us to make better predictions of how ecosystems will respond to respond to climate change. In the long term, it may even offer opportunities for early interventions.

05 March 2024

Plant a tree on the TU Delft Campus - sign up!

Plant a tree on the TU Delft Campus - sign up!

22 February 2024

Getting to the bottom of sustainable water storage

Getting to the bottom of sustainable water storage

Nature-based solutions have become increasingly popular when it comes to finding ways to discharge or store water. How these behave in time is largely unknown, however. Two trial setups at Flood Proof Holland, to be studied over at least ten years, will give hydrologist Thom Bogaard and his team of students and other researchers a better understanding of the long-term effects of nature-based solutions. The outdoor setups will also provide plenty of opportunities for “multidisciplinary cross-pollination”.

16 February 2024

Green steel programme receives final approval, marking its official start

Green steel programme receives final approval, marking its official start

On 12 February, the Growing with Green Steel programme received official approval for a grant of more than 100 million euros from the National Growth Fund. Around 22 million euros of the total sum is destined for TU Delft. The programme aims to develop scientific knowledge and technology for sustainable steel production.

12 February 2024

Robust reactor design to simplify biomolecule production

Robust reactor design to simplify biomolecule production

TU Delft and Delft Advanced Biorenewables (DAB) are engaged in a long term development of a low cost and robust integrated bioreactor especially for the production of biofuel precursors as well as chemical and other building blocks that have a common ‘oily’ behaviour of immiscibility with aqueous phases such a fermentation broth. Research of Rita da Costa Basto focused on the important elements of the integrated production process of hydrocarbons by the fermentative route such as coalescence and phase separation. She has defended her PhD thesis on this topic Thursday 11 January 2024 in Delft.