What is the NWO Theme System Earth

The Netherlands is threatened by water from two sides: from the sea due to rising sea levels, and from the land due to the increasing variation in the amount of water carried away by the rivers. Climate researchers construct climate scenarios so that policymakers can base their decisions, for example on land use, on realistic forecasts. According to the current scenarios, for example, global warming is expected to lead not only to a rise in sea levels, but also to an increasing amount of rainfall in the Netherlands, especially in the form of heavy downpours.

At present, little is known about the precise role of cloud cover in climate systems. Observation techniques have however improved greatly in recent years and now offer an opportunity to increase the understanding of that role. Just as little is known about the role of aerosols - minute particles which generally enter the atmosphere as a result of human activity and which are suspected of having a major influence on the climate. The Netherlands is making a substantial contribution to the research in this field.

Human beings have an enormous impact on the earth, not only through the production of aerosols but also in a host of other ways, for example through the use of fossil fuels and the consumption of natural resources and fresh water. The main focus areas within the System Earth theme are energy, fresh water, land use and management of coastal regions, emissions and climate. In addition to climate scenarios, research within this thematic area also focuses on the development of alternative and sustainable energy sources and low-emission production processes, on developing methods for predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and on enabling the effects of potential policy measures to be evaluated more precisely in advance.