R2K Project Workshop in Aachen: New Tools and Science Communication in Focus

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Impressions of the workshop.  © FiW e. V.
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Impressions of the workshop.  © FiW e. V.
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Impressions of the workshop.  © FiW e. V.
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Impressions of the workshop.  © FiW e. V.
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On 10 and 11 March 2026, the project partners of the joint project R2K-Klim+ met for a workshop at the Research Institute for Water Management and Climate Futures at RWTH Aachen University (FiW). The focus was on recent developments in the project's own tools and the further development of the decision support system KLAUS. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) within the funding measure "RegIKlim" and the federal research programme "Wasser: N". Wasser: N is part of the BMFTR's "Research for Sustainability (FONA)" strategy.

A central element of the workshop was the presentation of four tools that have been developed or are currently under development in the course of the project:

  • The flow path tool by geomer enables the spatial analysis of water flow paths, i.e. the routes that rainwater takes across the land surface before reaching waterbodies or the drainage system. It thereby provides an important basis for planning measures to address the impacts of heavy rainfall events.
  • The transport modelling by ZLV presented the current state of development in modelling transport systems under changing climate conditions. Precipitation, flooding or heatwaves can affect transport infrastructure; the model helps to assess such impacts at an early stage.
  • The measures tool by gaiac supports the identification, evaluation and spatial allocation of concrete climate adaptation measures for cities and municipalities.
  • The low flow fact sheets by prognos AG translate scientific findings on low flow events into practical, accessible formats tailored to different target audiences.

A further focus was placed on science communication: in an interactive gallery walk, participants discussed draft posters designed to communicate project results to a broader public.

In addition, use cases for KLAUS were on the agenda. Klaus is a digital tool and the project's central deliverable, designed to support planners in Duisburg in making informed decisions on climate adaptation. The workshop discussions helped to refine and develop practical application scenarios.

We would like to thank all participants for the productive exchange and looks forward to continued collaboration in the next project steps.