How can we understand climate change, and what will it lead to? These questions have occupied Deliang Chen for decades, and over the years he has produced vital knowledge on climate change both in Sweden and abroad. He has also been very involved in communicating research to the broader community, including through key commissions of trust in weighty organisations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Council for Science (ICSU).
Recently, he accepted H.R.H. The King’s Medal of the 8th size with the ribbon of the Order of the Seraphim for his research, something he calls “a genuine sign that the research team in Gothenburg is making a positive contribution internationally”. From a garden chair in Mölndal, where Deliang Chen has lived for nearly 30 years, he calmly and thoughtfully talks about the driving forces behind his research.
“We know that global climate change is occurring. If we have more knowledge of how and why, we can also act: adapt, be prepared and try to lessen its effects,” he says.
In recent years, much of Deliang Chen’s research has focused on the ‘third pole’ – the Tibetan Plateau. He is part of an international research team exploring trends on the remote plateau, where expeditions can require helicopter trips as well as long treks with instruments.
Why is knowledge about the Tibetan Plateau so important?
“It is a sensitive area of great significance for its surroundings. A quarter of the global population gets its water supply from the Plateau, and what makes it particularly interesting is that global warming is happening at approximately twice the rate there as in the rest of the world. So research there can really make a difference.”
“We are looking at climate change, why it is happening and what its consequences are. A big focus is on the changes to the monsoon rains that impact agriculture. We know that what is happening on the Tibetan Plateau could happen in other high mountain ranges, for example the Andes. This knowledge can also help us to understand what is happening in the Arctic, as many of the physical processes are the same.”
You are strongly committed to communicating the research to the broader community. Why is that?
“When you witness the effects of climate change, you have a responsibility, and I am lucky to be able to contribute to the knowledge in this area. There is a lot of scepticism and many unscientific arguments circulating about climate, so it’s important that as scientists we can present facts. It’s also a challenge to present the research in a balanced way. We must communicate what we know, but there are also things we don’t know. It can be hard not to become emotional; I am a scientist but also a person who is affected by what I have seen and know. But I have learnt to separate these two things. The role of scientists is to contribute knowledge, but it is not our role to talk about how things should be done, or what policies should be implemented.”
Tell us about your commissions of trust in the IPCC
“They have meant a lot to me. I have held commissions of trust in the IPCC for 20 years and I am a Coordinating Lead Author of the forthcoming IPCC Assessment Report. It’s important to have a global perspective on the big questions and the IPCC is good at uniting the world in the sciences. I like how the IPCC works, that it receives input from the whole world – not just from countries with the biggest research capacities. That way, many different and relevant aspects are captured.”
What is the most difficult aspect of your work?
“Communication outside of academia. Climate research is very complicated and can be sensitive. As a scientist, I am a public figure and often receive comments. Sometimes these can go too far and include personal attacks, and it can be difficult to decide when and how I should respond. I have noticed that arguments from climate change sceptics have changed. Previously, they were about how the climate was not changing – now they claim that people are not impacting the climate or that climate change is not always a bad thing.”
