KüNO Projects
KüNO Projects

ECAS-BALTIC: Strategies of ecosystem-friendly coastal protection and ecosystem-supporting coastal adaptation for the German Baltic Sea Coast

Short description

This project co-designs and co-develops ecosystem-supporting coastal protection and adaptation (ESA) strategies for the German Baltic Sea coast, complementing existing coastal protection schemes and taking into account current and future hydrodynamic, morphodynamic, sediment transport, social and economic conditions. Towards this end, we will set up a transdisciplinary process, including two real world laboratories (RWL), to co-design long-term ecological, social and economic goals for coastal management and desired ESA strategies, based on stakeholders' interests, risk preferences, social acceptability and relevant legislation. Building upon this, we will evaluate past experiences with ESA in hotspots of coastal change (e.g., beach nourishment, managed realignment, seagrass meadows afforestation and sand dune restoration), in terms of ecological impact, coastal risk reduction, durability/stability and social acceptance. Next, coupled systems of hydrodynamic and morphodynamic numerical models will be applied on different spatial scales to simulate the biophysical effects of co-designed ESA measures under current and future mean and extreme sea-levels (surges, tides, waves). At the regional level, we will compartmentalize the German Baltic Sea Coast into homogenous morphological, ecological and socio-economic units, and assess current and future flood risks under co-developed ESA strategies in order to identify hotspots of coastal change and candidates for future implementation of ESA. At the local level, within the RWL, we will develop scenarios of SLR-induced long-term morphological change, assess stability and durability of existing and newly designed ESA strategies and coastal flood risk. At both levels, the long-term effects of the ESA strategies will be evaluated based on the co-designed ecological, social and economic goals, optimised using relevant decision support tools, and turned into policy recommendations and management plans for coastal and environmental protection.

Funding period:

 11/2020 - 10/2023

Funding amount:

 1.980.000,- €

 

Coordinator: Global Climate Forum (GCF), Berlin

Project partner:

  • Kiel University (CAU)
  • Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Leibniz University Hannover
  • Helmholtz Centre hereon
  • Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW)
  • University of Rostock
  • University of Greifswald

Website:

https://globalclimateforum.org/portfolio-item/ecas-baltic/

ContaCt: