Impact
The impacts of the Liquidice project will be:
Improved Data Accessibility
With enhanced access to critical cryospheric data, including snow water equivalent and alpine permafrost measurements.
Better Understanding of Cryosphere Responses
Advanced insights into cryospheric processes and their response to climate change through integrated field observations and remote sensing. This will result in an increased reliability of Earth System Models by incorporating ice sheet dynamics, allowing more precise climate projections and improved understanding of seasonal and long-term changes.
Refinement of Earth System Models
By improved testing and validation of models with enhanced observational data, leading to more accurate climate predictions through better integration of field observation data. This will be achieved through the creation of comprehensive, error-bounded datasets for land ice mass balance, snow dynamics, and permafrost evolution.
Understanding of Glacier-Permafrost Interactions
Examination of active layer evolution and its modifications due to glacier retreat in Svalbard and the Alpine region will improve our understanding of glacier-permafrost interactions.
Improved Glacier Basin Assessments
An enhanced understanding of snow cover, glacier mass balance, and water discharge through comparative analysis of model outputs, will result in more reliable future water discharge projections. This will have the impact of better-informed water resource management by providing future water discharge projections under multiple climate scenarios.
A further impact of this will be improved water resource management and an enhanced understanding of the relationship between glacier/snow melting and water production, benefiting hydroelectric power generation in Greenland and tourism in Monte Rosa.
Strengthening of Global Cryosphere Research
Contribution to international initiatives (ESA Glaciers CCI, ESA SLB+, GlaMBIE, IMBIE) by integrating new data into existing mass balance repositories, improving global cryosphere assessments.
Support for Climate Adaptation Strategies
LIQUIDICE will contribute to policy and decision-making by offering refined projections of glacier-related water resources. This will result in the development of adaptation models tailored to environmentally vulnerable Arctic regions, ensuring sustainable water resource management for societal development.
The formation of scalable climate adaptation frameworks will create guidelines and best practices that can be applied to similar regions facing climate challenges, ensuring a broader global impact.
Empowerment of Local Communities
Increased citizen engagement in climate adaptation decision-making will foster resilience through participatory processes aligned with the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change. Promotion of community-driven solutions that contribute to sustainable tourism and renewable energy sectors, are aligned with EU climate action commitments. In Europe the main impact will be the development of adaptive strategies for Alpine tourism in the Monte Rosa area, helping mitigate climate-related risks to the industry. While LIQUIDICE will contribute to Greenland’s implementation of the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through adaptation strategies in Ilulissat.
Enhanced Stakeholder Collaboration
Strengthened cooperation between citizens, policymakers, businesses, and researchers to co-create climate adaptation solutions that are locally relevant and globally applicable.