“The great challenge of adaptation to climate change in ports” was held in the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) facilities on 21st October 2022, an event to disseminate the European ECCLIPSE project organised by the Valenciaport Foundation with the collaboration of the Port Authority of Valencia on the occasion of the World Day against climate change.
The APV and the Valenciaport Foundation are working with Puertos del Estado and the Foundation for Climate Research to draw up a strategy for adapting the ports managed by the Port Authority, Valencia, Sagunto and Gandía, to the effects of climate change. More specifically, among the activities of the ECCLIPSE project, a common methodology has been defined for analysing the impacts of climate change and its effects on the maritime port environment, and developing predictive models of the effects of climate change at a local level. In addition, and in close collaboration with the port community, the possible impacts of climate change on port operations and infrastructures have been analysed. This has provided a complete map of the vulnerabilities of the ports, which will be monitored in the framework of the observatory on climate change created for this purpose. On the basis of this information, adaptation measures will be designed for the ports which will have to be included within a broader framework to ensure that at least 80% of the logistics chain remains operational in the event of any extreme climate phenomenon.
The conference, held in hybrid format, online and face-to-face, has had as speakers top level experts: Mercedes de Juan Muñoyerro, of the Valenciaport Foundation and Coordinator of the Ecclipse Project; Gabriel Díaz Hernández, of the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics of the University of Cantabria; César Paradinas, Consultant of the Foundation for Climate Research; and José Serra, Professor of Ports and Coasts of the Universitat Politècnica de València. This session has allowed, from a realistic point of view, to understand what climate change is and what its effects will be in the medium and long term.
