New tool to help identify and mitigate risks caused by extreme temperatures

We have been working together with Vizzuality to develop the prototype called Thermal Assessment Tool. It provides a simple and user-friendly panel that allows users to visualise risk events of different degrees caused by heat waves and cold snaps. It is based on historic climate data, long-term projections and seasonal forecasts by the C3S.

The tool constitutes a demonstrator that shows climate data from Copernicus. We have worked with climate change areas from several public institutions in order to analyse the usability of the prototype in the management of policies and plans to adapt to climate change. The tool is not operational yet.

The aim of this prototype is to assess the thermal comfort in Spain on several different levels – regional, provincial and local, based on the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) data, which is available at its Climate Data Store (CDS).

Extreme temperatures

Climate change may lead to an increase in the number and intensity of extreme weather events, including heat waves and cold snaps. These extreme temperatures may cause impacts on our daily lives, such as thermal discomfort. To reduce or at least mitigate these impacts, governments need added-value information regarding the risks of extreme temperatures to make proper decisions to prepare, protect and warn the city and citizens.

Further information

This project is part of a contract with the C3S, one of the six services of the EU Copernicus programme, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), representing the European Commission.

• About the Thermal Assessment Tool
• Access the tool demonstrator at http://thermal-assessment.climate.copernicus.eu
• Download the leaflet on the Thermal Assessment Tool initiative