Climate Sense

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daptation

and

itigation

trategies

former high maintenance levels would enhance the climate perform-

ance of today’s infrastructures considerably.

Company adaptation strategies and action programmes

The railway sector has taken its first steps towards developing

company strategies for adaptation to the consequences of climate

change, as well as corresponding action programmes. In general, the

awareness of climate change issues is rising in railway companies –

often the result of one or more recent extreme weather events causing

great damage to the railway infrastructure.

Transport companies such as BV, DB, NR, ÖBB, SBB – which

have experience in specialized areas including water management,

flood control and weather monitoring – are starting to broaden

their perspectives and cover a wider spectrum of adaptation strat-

egy areas. Furthermore, in some cases companies are developing

integrated adaptation strategies with explicit links to national and

international adaptation strategies and programmes.

Networking and knowledge exchange

The UIC feasibility study clearly shows that there is a great and urgent

need for networking and knowledge exchange on different levels to

improve the adaptation of railway infrastructures to climate change.

Knowledge exchange between different railway infrastructure

managers is the most obvious level. This will enable the sharing of a

great spectrum of practical knowledge and experience in areas such

as monitoring, vulnerability mapping, vegetation, water management,

and the protection of catenary and signalling systems. Communication

between railway infrastructure managers and national meteorologi-

cal offices and research institutions is also important. This would

improve the basis for weather monitoring and warning activities and

provide access to regional climate modelling initiatives.

Improved networking between railway infrastructure managers

and managers of other basic infrastructures such as road, electricity

supply, water and waste water also requires increased investment.

This would help to develop an integrated approach for critical infra-

structures – especially consistent contingency strategies.

Better links must also be formed with other stakeholders

– such as national and regional governments, and EC

policy makers – to broaden the perspective and reach a

common understanding of adaptation strategies, meas-

ures and priorities.

General findings

The results of the UIC survey underline the need for

intensive cooperation. All infrastructure managers regard

the establishment of a web-based platform with infor-

mation and data about the impact of climate change on

railway infrastructure as either very useful (6 out of 14

companies) or useful (8 companies). The vast majority

said that they would contribute to such a knowledge base

with experiences and projects of their own.

Since railways still have a strong national perspective,

there is an urgent need for cooperation and new alli-

ances between the European and international railway

sectors. Such cooperation should also transcend sector

boundaries to include other modes of transport and

critical infrastructures, as well as meteorological insti-

tutions, academia and policy-makers.

Case studies are planned for two areas that have

already experienced impacts of extreme weather events,

namely, the Rhine Valley and the UK’s west coast. This

will include monitoring activities connected to: sudden

temperature changes; slippery tracks; lightning strikes;

risk management processes for floods; development of

modified design criteria for new structures; and rein-

statement and renewal of defunct drainage systems.

Results obtained from the case studies should have a

high level of transferability to other European regions

and transport sectors. The case studies cover a broad

range of different geographic and geomorphologic

regions, from coastal to mountainous areas.

Next steps

ARISCC primarily addresses European railways, with

an especial focus on Eastern and Central Europe, but

the intention is to expand it to an international perspec-

tive. The working structure for ARISCC comprises the

following phases:

• General agreement of railways on very general

adaptation strategies and action programmes

• Vulnerability mapping – identify the most

endangered assets and locations

• Standards (new and existing infrastructure) – how

to adapt these in a way that integrates climate

change factors

• Learn from each other – exchange good practices

• Establishing a catalogue of adaptation measures

• Formalize and fine-tune the adaptation strategy and

action programme.

This work will be conducted in 2009-2010 as a

joint cooperation between the UIC Environment,

Energy and Sustainability Platform and the UIC

Infrastructure Department.

Rising sea levels increase the threat of flooding to coastal railway lines

Image: Network Rail