Two of DTU's leading researchers in climate change and technologies to prevent it have been selected as Lead Authors for the next report from the UN Climate Panel, IPCC. The two researchers, Professor Marie Münster and Postdoc Shreya Some, are both from DTU Management and will be part of international working groups in their respective fields until the report is published in 2029 at the latest.
"As one of Europe's strongest technical universities, DTU wants to take responsibility for finding value-creating solutions to climate change. Research into technologies and initiatives that can prevent climate change is on the agenda throughout DTU, and I am proud that two of our researchers have been appointed to contribute to the UN Climate Panel based on their knowledge and excellent research," says Provost at DTU Christine Nellemann.
IPCC reports are used by decision-makers around the world to formulate climate policy, and the reports form the basis for international climate negotiations, such as the COP meetings, and help ensure that decisions are based on solid science.
Research in climate change
Professor Marie Münster from DTU Management will be co-authoring Chapter 14 of the IPCC report on how different energy sectors and systems can be integrated and work together. As co-author, Marie Münster will be able to draw on her knowledge from previous research and from her work as a member of the Climate Council. In addition, Marie Münster has conducted research on sector coupling for many years and was also cited on the subject in the previous report from the IPCC's Working Group III.
Postdoc Shreya Some from DTU has been selected as co-author of the IPCC report's chapter on technical guidelines for assessing climate change. The chapter is crucial chapter because it will update the 1994 guidelines and provide a new framework for assessing climate change impacts and adaptation measures. Since 1994, significant progress has been made in climate models, data and scenarios, and the updated guidelines will incorporate new aspects such as losses and damage resulting from climate change.
Shreya Some's latest research focuses on the consequences of climate change and climate actions for human well-being. She also examines equity issues, enablers and barriers to climate action, and the social and gender dimensions of climate adaptation efforts.
For several years, DTU's research has contributed significantly to the IPCC's analyses of global climate change and the measures and technologies that can be used to counteract this development. In 2007, Professor of Climate and Economics at DTU Management Kirsten Halsnæs and the rest of the IPCC panel received the Nobel Peace Prize together with Al Gore. The prize was awarded for their outstanding work in communicating the climate crisis and putting it on the political agenda.
Most recently, in 2023, Kirsten Halsnæs was lead author and coordinating lead author of the IPCC's WGIII report on greenhouse gas reduction.
Climate change and cities
The next major report from the IPCC will be part of the seventh in the series, which officially began in July 2023. This report number seven is expected to be completed and ready for publication at the end of 2029 and, like previous main reports, will consist of three sub-reports and a synthesis report. The report will cover three main areas:
- WGI- Climate change: The Physical basis – e.g. temperature rises, sea level rises ice melt, etc.
- WGII- Impacts and adaptation – how climate change affects society and nature, and how we can protect ourselves.
- WGIII- Limiting greenhouse gases – which solutions and technologies can reduce emissions.
In addition, according to the IPCC, special reports on "Climate Change and Cities" are planned for March 2027, focusing on the role of cities in both climate problems and solutions. A methodology report on short-lived climate pollutants and a report on CO₂ capture and storage are also planned for 2027.
