Overview
The road network is influenced by climate conditions. The Norwegian climate in the future will bring higher precipitation - more frequent and more intense rainfall, milder winters, warmer summers, an increase in wind speed and storm frequency.
This will affect the road network in several ways. Higher groundwater levels will yield higher probability of floods and erosion. More rain will give a higher risk of slides, occurring at new locations and new types, such as slush avalanches, debris slides and mud flows. Our premise for the choice of structural solutions and dimensioning of physical protection may be incorrect for the climate conditions and existing slide protection may not be sufficient. Areas exposed to stable winter conditions may experience higher exposure to freezing and thawing. One should also count on reduced accessibility and regularity. All this requires improved emergency plans.
Objectives are to:
- Evaluate the effect of climate change on the road network and recommend remedial action concerning design, construction and maintenance of the road network.
- Evaluate and recommend measures necessary for maintaining both safety and accessibility in a changed climate.
The programme is planned in close cooperation with the Norwegian National Rail Administration, and is carried out with the help of a large number of cooperating partners (also members of the programme board):
- Norwegian Meteorological Institute (met.no),
- Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE),
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI),
- Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU),
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU),
- Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO),
- Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB), and
- Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (Bioforsk).
The programme group consists of managers of each of the seven projects and a programme secretary (all employees of the NPRA).