Ms. Isabel García Muñoz
Ms. Isabel García Muñoz, MEP held a VIRTUAL 2022 European Concrete Paving Association (EUPAVE) and European Union (EU) Debate on “Climate resilience and long-term transport infrastructure” on January 25, 2022. It gathered representatives of the public and private sector and of the European Commission.
Mr. Christophe Nicodème, Director General-European Union Road Federation (ERF) opened and moderated the EUPAVE Debate. After a quick introduction, the floor was given to Ms. García Muñoz, MEP.
Ms. García Muñoz, MEP, thanked the participants and EUPAVE for organizing the event and for giving her the privilege of participating in such an important debate. She also thanked Mr. Claus Kondrup, DG CLIMA, for his availability to discuss one of the main challenges the EU is facing and for presenting the climate proofing infrastructure guidance. Finally, Ms. Garcia, thanked Mr. Jim Mack, Cemex, USA and Mr. Christophe Nicodème, ERF, for moderating the event.
She returned on the importance of the fight against climate change. The EU is taking actions, from the European Green Deal to the recent proposal Fit for 55 Package. The goal being to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement. The EU should remain open-minded to the various technical solutions and find the ones that are both viable and beneficial for the safety of people and the environment, capable of adapting to new challenges.
Welcome from Mr. Nicoud
Mr. Stéphane Nicoud, President-EUPAVE started by thanking MEP Garcia for hosting EUPAVE’s annual event in such special circumstances. He also thanked the speakers, especially Mr. Kondrup, whose contributions are highly appreciated in a moment where climate proofing infrastructure, adaptation and climate mainstreaming is affecting the whole European industry.
Mr. Nicoud briefly introduced EUPAVE and its missions and activities – especially related to climate change. Indeed, global warming consequences will have an impact on transport infrastructures and roads. Entities providing essential services must be able to resist to the increase of temperature and precipitation. Investing in resilient infrastructure is essential. The societal benefits of a robust and resilient road network are numerous: for people’s lives, as well as for economies.
In this regard, the European Commission adopted its new EU strategy on adaptation to climate change on February 24, 2021.The new strategy sets out how the European Union can adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change and become climate resilient by 2050. It has 4 principal objectives to :
• make adaptation smarter
• make adaptation swifter
• make adaptation more systemic
• step up international action on adaptation to climate change
Mr. Nicoud also reminded the numerous benefits of concrete roads:
• less susceptible to the swelling of the subgrade compared to asphalt pavements
• less susceptible to the shrinking of the subgrade compared to asphalt pavements
• show better resilience to climate change
• show better resilience to climate change extreme meteorological events
Concerning this topic, EUPAVE has published a 4th
factsheet on “Climate Resilience”
Click to download FACT SHEET
The topic of the fourth fact sheet is “Climate Resilience” titled “Concrete roads show better resilience to climate change and extreme meteorological events”. One of the aspects of climate resilience is the capacity of a system to absorb stresses and maintain function in the fact of external stresses imposed unpon it by climate change. For roads and infrastructure, climate resilience efforts aim at addressing the vulnerability with regard to the environmental consequences of climate change.
The FS has been translated in Turkish!
Fact Sheets 1, 2, 3 focused on:
High Albedo Effect | Fuel Consumption | 100% Recycling
For the 4-page 4th Factsheet, please click on image above, or go to:
https://www.eupave.eu/wp-content/uploads/FACT-SHEET-Climate-Resilience2.pdf
For the EUPAVE Webpage for full information on the Debate, please go to: https://www.eupave.eu/climate-resilience-long-term-transport-infrastructure/