National symposium in Norrköping focuses on climate research

What is happening to the climate and what role does climate research play in society? Together with the strategic research areas MERGE and BECC, as well as the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, SMHI is arranging a climate symposium in Norrköping on 16-18 May 2022, the Swedish Climate Symposium.

- For the first time, Sweden's largest players in climate research gather in a larger symposium where SMHI is a co-organizer. The conference is a new forum where we can present results and strengthen our role in climate research. The conference also addresses the importance of a basis for decisions in climate adaptation and limitation of climate effects, says Erik Kjellström, SMHI's professor of climatology.

Research linked to IPCC reports

The Swedish Climate Symposium is a scientific conference on climate that is based on the conclusions of the UN's climate panel IPCC's sixth assessment report (AR6) and the consequences for Sweden. The research on which the IPCC reports are based will be presented. Climate researchers will demonstrate Sweden's world-leading expertise in climate science areas, which includes not only the scientific basis but also the effects, adaptation and mitigation of climate change. SMHI researchers will present their latest climate research, both in oral presentations and scientific posters.

Experiences and challenges

The symposium, which lasts for three days, will offer researchers in Sweden a unique opportunity to share their contributions to climate research together and reflect on these. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, researchers will together look to the future and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for enhanced collaboration to further deepen understanding of climate change and its effects and the scientifically grounded sustainable development needed to limit it.

Third day of exchange between science and the general public

The third day will have as its motto "Connecting science and people" with sessions where the media, politicians and social actors will meet and interact with researchers, with emphasis on the climate in a Swedish context. Activities include a free web course Knowledge about the Climate, the presentation of insights about the climate from a Swedish research perspective and the session Between power and powerlessness: Translating our knowledge of the climate into political action (all in Swedish).

- The symposium has generated great interest! So far, we have over 280 registrations, from more than 50 different organizations, ranging from universities and the media, to the private sector and politicians, says Helena Martins, research communicator at SMHI Rossby Centre.