IRISCC: supporting society’s capacity to address and strengthen resilience to climate change risks

Anthropogenic climate change, driven by elevated levels of greenhouse gases, is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, causing significant changes in climatic and biogeochemical conditions. The adverse effects of climate change include detrimental impacts on natural and managed ecosystems, as well as on socio-economic systems, human health, and welfare. Recognising the urgent need to address these challenges, the IRISCC (Integrated Research Infrastructure Services for Climate Change Risks) project aims to provide scientific and knowledge-based services to support societal adaptation to climate change. The project is funded by the European Union under grant agreement No 101131261 (HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions in Research Infrastructure Programme topic HORIZON- INFRA-2023-SERV-01-01) and has over 70 partners providing research services.

For the researchers focusing on climate change risks, IRISCC will offer services, such as open data and access to research platforms via transnational access and virtual access programs. Here IRISCC employs an integrated approach to understanding climate change risks, encompassing hazards, exposure, and vulnerability. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, the project strives to support science enabling all users of IRISCC services to better predict, mitigate, and adapt to climate-related risks affecting human and natural systems. The project's overarching mission is to facilitate in-depth knowledge production on climate change risks and accelerate the translation of scientific knowledge into innovative solutions.

The IRISCC consortium comprises expertise from several research infrastructures, covering domains such as Earth systems, health and environment, and social sciences, each bringing in their research service portfolios. Through inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, the project aims to provide transnational and virtual access to cutting-edge research, innovation, training, and digital services. 

In summary, the IRISCC project aligns with the session's focus on systems thinking approaches, presenting a comprehensive strategy supporting users to tackle the interconnected issues of climate-related hazards, risks, and impacts. The commitment of the project to provide integrated research infrastructure services positions it as a key player in advancing our ability to predict, mitigate, and adapt to the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change in European regions and cities.