IMPACT2C is a multidisciplinary research project coordinated by Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon’s Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS), funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) under grant agreement 282746, and carried out between October 2011 and September 2015.
IMPACT2C’s primary focus was on quantifying the impacts of +2 °C global warming (and, where relevant, +1.5 °C) across Europe and selected highly vulnerable regions—including Bangladesh, the Nile and Niger basins, and the Maldives. It provided ensemble-based climate change scenarios and derived indices tailored to various sectors, enabling detailed analysis of risks, vulnerabilities, and associated economic costs grounded in aligned socio-economic pathways.
The project was structured through a clearly defined set of work packages. WPs 1–7 addressed project coordination, climate scenario generation for Europe and non-European regions, downscaling, uncertainty processing, and sectoral impact assessments across water, energy, tourism, transport, forestry, agriculture and ecosystem services. WPs 8–15 extended this approach to cross-sectoral synthesis and detailed studies of specific vulnerable regions, along with health impacts and outreach activities.
IMPACT2C produced valuable tools and outputs. The IMPACT2C web-atlas offers interactive maps and texts that communicate projected climate impacts across sectors and regions. A data server, hosted by the Danish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, provides access to bias-corrected climate data and impact model outputs for Europe and the selected vulnerable regions. Findings were disseminated through policy briefs, newsletters, workshops, summer schools, media engagement and scientific publications, ensuring accessibility to policymakers, researchers, stakeholders and the public.
While IMPACT2C’s research does not directly address sustainable finance, its insights into climate-driven risks, sectoral vulnerabilities, and adaptation costs have relevance for investors, insurers and policymakers seeking to evaluate climate-related financial risks and resilience strategies.
