DatKlim – Data Competency for the German Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

Many consequences of climate change occur at a local level. The German Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (DAS) therefore defines the municipalities as key players in adaptation. However, site-specific adaptation can only take place on the basis of data and information on hydro-climatic and socio-economic parameters of the respective region. There is currently a wide range of openly accessible data and interactive tools that could support municipalities in using this information for an evidence-based adaptation strategy. But due to their diversity and rapid development, the use of these tools is associated with continuous training and further education. The aim of the DatKlim project is therefore to strengthen data competency for adaptation to climate change in the municipalities.

To this end, an educational program is being developed through a participatory process with municipal planning authorities and students (MSc and BSc), enabling participants to identify relevant data for their specific spatial context and use it effectively in the development of their adaptation measures. The educational program will initially be offered on a pilot basis at the TH Köln and in municipalities in NRW and then made available to the public via the "Digitale Hochschule NRW".