CALL TO FORM - Climate Change MSCA-ID Consortium to research the impact of climate change induced extreme events on the operations of the GLAs

Background

The General Lighthouse Authorities of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (referred to as the GLA) hold the responsibility of delivering navigational services that underpin a safety critical, efficient and cost-effective service, for the benefit of all mariners.

By 2040, climate change is projected to have significant impact in the UK and Irish waters, which will present new challenges for at-sea operations. The GLA recognise this impact, and that climate change will affect broadly across their operations. Further, they are committed to minimising the negative contributions of GLA operations to the environment.

The GLA wish to rigorously investigate these impacts, in order to make sound evidence-driven decisions. The GLA operate a shared research and development department (GRAD – website: https://www.gla-rad.org/ ) which is recognised as an international centre of excellence on Visual and Radio Navigation, who are leading a programme of themed research activities on specific climate change challenge areas.

Three project themes are being explored:

1. CC1: The gradual effects of climate change on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities;

2. CC2: The impact of climate change extreme events on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities;

3. CC3: The impact of changing ocean/ sea chemistry, biodiversity considerations, and invasive species on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities.

CC2 Research Theme – The impact of climate change induced extreme events on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities

Increasing global temperatures are creating a warmer climate around the UK and Ireland, and mixing with changes to ocean temperatures and currents, it is expected this would increase the frequency and duration of heat-waves and storms. Additionally, climate change is bringing more frequent, larger sized, sea fog events, that are sitting closer to the ocean level. Increased periods of cloud cover will also impact the hours of sunshine available, reducing the energy generation capacity from solar panels increasingly fitted to GLA assets.

The release of freshwater combined with increasing temperature gradients is also threatening sea currents, most notably the Gulf Stream. This may have devastating effects, including new ice hazards forming in winter months.

Therefore, this project will investigate the impact of climate change induced extreme events on the operations of the General Lighthouse Authorities. This project should look at the changing nature of heat waves, sea fogs and storms, increasing cloud cover, and explore what new ice hazards could be created around the British and Irish coastline by changes to sea currents.