Brussels, 02/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - The rail sector, too, must open the debate on adapting to climate change. On 30 April, the European Commission and the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) began the discussion with a workshop. The organisation draws attention to the fact that the railways are regularly affected by extreme weather conditions and that, in the future, these conditions are going to get worse much more frequently. Although the sector has already begun to take action to become more resilient, the CER explained that additional investment will need to be made by EU member states to gradually replace all the different component parts in the railway system. The European Commission and railway industry will also have an exchange of views on how to develop closer collaboration with regard to funding possibilities and developing more accurate weather forecasts and normalisation procedures. (MD/transl.fl)