Climate and climate change
The climate is changing, ice is melting and sea levels are rising. When humans use the Earth's resources, fossil fuels and means of transport, produce and consume goods, it has consequences for the climate. But in what ways does climate change affect the Earth and society? What can we learn from historical climate variability?
Current anthropogenic climate change is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing our modern society. In the Climate and Climate Change research area, we seek to understand how natural processes and human-induced factors affect the climate system and what measures can help to counteract climate change and create a long-term sustainable society. Our research also includes impact of climate change on urban environment, ecosystems, biodiversity, water resources, and air quality. Special attention has been paid to high latitude and high elevation regions including the Arctic and Antarctic, and the Third Pole.
Research areas
- Reconstruction of the paleoclimate
- The effects of climate on water cycles, ecosystems and biodiversity
- Regional and local climate
- Tree rings (Dendrology)
- Downscaling of climate change scenarios
- Climate modelling
- Urban climate and climate planning
- Sea ice change in Antarctica
- Permafrost
- High latitude and high altitude regions; Arctic and Antarctic and Third Pole (Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountain areas)
Research groups
RCG - Regional Climate Group
The Regional Climate Group (RCG) studies climate at regional-to-global scales. CG has a unique profile combining modern- and paleo-climate studies within the Swedish climate research community and an international reputation in the fields of regional climate dynamics and climate change.
Visit the RCG - Regional Climate Group web page
Alpine and Polar Ecology at the University of Gothenburg (APE@GU)
Alpine and Polar Ecology at the University of Gothenburg (APE@GU) seeks to provide new knowledge on ecosystem functions in the Alpine and Polar context, using long-term experiments together with mechanistic laboratory experiments.
Visit the Alpine and Polar Ecology Group web page
Biogeochemistry Group
The research group investigating the (re-)cycling of nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems, which occurs in the soil-plant-microbe system. The main focus is on the gross soil dynamics of nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as the production of biogenic greenhouse gases.
Visit the Biogeochemistry Group web page
Gothenburg University Laboratory for Dendrochronology (GULD)
The research group specializes in tree-ring research, focusing on late-Holocene climate varibility and its impact on forest ecosystems and human systems.
Göteborg Urban Climate Group (GUCG)
The research group conducts studies in micro-scale processes and patterns associated with urban landscape elements, urban air quality, biometeorology, including human comfort, as well as impacts of climate change on heat waves and urban tourism.
Visit the Göteborg Urban Climate Group web page
Research funding and collaboration
Our researchers have extensive collaborations with national and international research networks. We collaborate with industry, organisations and authorities at both global and local levels.
Our main research funders are the Swedish Research Council, Formas, the Swedish Space Agency, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, VINNOVA, STINT, MERGE, BECC, and the EU.
Research methods
To conduct the studies, our researchers use, among other things, analysis of field measurements, GIS, instrumental data, surveys, interviews, focus groups, satellite data, paleoclimatic proxy records, in combination with simulation of global/regional/local climate models.
