New digital platform shows how land use can support climate goals

How can land use become an effective tool for achieving the climate goals? This is the question at the heart of the EU project RethinkAction, where IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is one of thirteen participating organizations. The project’s tool – a digital platform for climate measures linked to land use – is now being launched.

Land use is more than just how we use the land; it's a direct reflection of the choices our society makes. Since approximately a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions come from land use and changes in land use, and since land is also sensitive to climate change, we must view it as a central part of climate work, says Sofie Hellsten, researcher at IVL.

The digital platform was developed to help decision-makers, state agencies, researchers and the general public understand how different land use strategies can contribute to both climate adaptation and emission reductions. Using high-resolution maps, climate data and a comprehensive catalogue of measures, users can simulate and evaluate different scenarios at local and regional levels.

IVL played a part in the development of the platform by means of a case study on the Swedish island of Gotland. Researchers and experts developed methods for climate risk assessment, mapped vulnerable areas and sectors, and collected and analyzed land use data. IVL evaluated various measures for climate adaptation and for reducing emissions, and contributed to maps showing where it is appropriate to implement climate measures.

A tool that spans across sectors

The platform brings together over 60 land use measures in areas such as agriculture, forestry, energy, urban development and water management. It enables the simulation of climate measures in six European case study areas, adapted to local conditions. The project uses an integrated assessment model (WILIAM) with both local and global data to analyze how local decisions can support the EU's climate targets and the global sustainability goals.

Land use is often an underutilized part of climate work. With this tool, we want to show how changes in land use, combined with behavioural changes, can yield concrete results, says Jane Ihrfors, marine and environmental geologist at IVL.

Read more about the project and the tool External link, opens in new window.

For questions, contact:
Sofie Hellsten, sofie.hellsten@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 67 65
Jane Ihrfors, jane.ihrfors@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 68 54