Photo: Michelle Ochsner
Climate adaption of Swedish railways
PhD Student Michelle Ochsner has studied the impact of weather and climate change on the Swedish railway sector, climate adaptation processes that are taking place and what hinders further adaptation of Swedish railways to new conditions, such as higher temperatures and increased rainfall.
Weather conditions like high snow depth, low temperatures and high wind speeds have had the greatest impact on Swedish railway operations and infrastructure, with track assets being the most impacted. Due to climate change, impacts are expected to shift towards those associated with high temperatures and increased rainfall, raising the likelihood of flooding and heat-related faults.
“Low temperatures have had an impact on the fault rates for switches, tracks and catenaries, and now heatwaves causes track buckles. High levels of precipitation are associated with higher fault rates across tracks and catenaries. Snow depth has an influence on fault rates for switches and tracks, and high wind speeds are associated with higher fault rates for tracks and catenaries. Signals seem to be the most resilient asset in the Swedish railway system”, Michelle Ochsner explains.
When studying what hinders climate adaptation to take place Michelle Ochsner finds that governance challenges such as legislation, resources, prioritization and knowledge, as well as the complexity of climate impact and the number of actors involved all together obstructs adaptation.
“I believe a dynamic approach that incorporates climate adaptation with other domains, such as disaster risk reduction, best supports long-term resilience”, says Michelle Ochsner.
Insights from Japan
Japan is known to have a railway system that is highly punctual, reliable, and safe. Japan also has a long history of managing natural hazards due to its geography and geology, why it seemed interesting to study how they manage climate change and adapt their railway system. As in Sweden, Japan is expected to experience an increase in both temperature and precipitation, increasing rainfall events in particular pose operational and infrastructural challenges.
“Japan is a country with a strong history of managing natural hazards and a focus on disaster risk reduction still seem to dominate. New efforts to prioritize climate change adaptation set forth by the government may shift practices”, says Michelle Ochsner.
“My conclusion is that railway adaptation should be integrated with both broader urban and risk reduction planning. Fragmented responsibilities, rigid land use policies, limited funding and a reluctance to engage in long-term planning are all key barriers for climate adaptation to take place. I think opportunities lie in reframing existing policies, fostering intersectoral collaboration and to adopt a more incremental planning”, Michelle Ochsner summarizes her findings.
Michelle Ochsner defended her thesis on May 13 and will now continue as a post doc researcher at Lund University and K2.
“My next project will be studying the European railway system and its maintenance strategies, to compare how different countries work. Climate adaptation is still quite new in maintenance of railways, but it´s increasingly important to really consider”, says Michelle Ochsner.
Link to the Thesis:
Navigating Climate Risks in Rail Transport: Weather Impacts, Governance Challenges, and Climate Adaptation Approaches (PDF, ny flik)
Text: Hanna Holm