Göteborgs hamns förberedelser för framtida klimatförändringar

Abstract

Due to higher temperatures, sea level rise has received greater attention. Since Gothenburg and its harbour are positioned relatively low, as a result, there is an impending risk of flooding. Worst case scenario the mean sea level is expected to rise with 0.5-1 meter. The local impact will be even greater, especially when there is extreme weather. Consequently, parts of the port will be under water and thus affect the port operations in a negative way, as they will need to reorganize in order to meet the new sea level. As a result of this they will be forced to take expensive and time-consuming measures to find a solution. The Port of Gothenburg is an important node for trade as it has the largest capacity of freight in all of Sweden. If this centre of trade were to shut down for a longer period of time this could lead to failing economy and eventually this could affect the whole country. The purpose of the study is to examine how the Port of Gothenburg is preparing to meet the future climate change and with that the rising sea levels. This is a up-to-date question in community development especially for Gothenburg since it is threaten by future flooding. For this study, literature has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted and compiled in order to investigate the port´s adaptability to climate change. In conclusion the study shows that there are ongoing discussions and investigations in the matter. However, few investigations are conducted by the Port of Gothenburg. There is also a sense of passivity around the issue; the economic factor is the reason that solutions are not being initiated. In addition, it is not considered worthwhile to take extreme measures, as there is no guarantee of what type of change that really will occur. Nevertheless, successive adjustments should be implemented, as it is economically viable in the future, in order to avoid expensive solutions at the last moment.