Strengthening coastal protection through research
Coastal protection measures are part of public services in the northern German states to resist against flooding and coastal erosion. This was true in the past and will be particularly true in the future: by the end of the 21st century, sea levels could rise by between 30 centimeters and almost one meter as a result of climate change, depending on the mathematical model used. Among the German regional academies, the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg is particularly well placed to address issues of coastal protection due to its proximity to the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The topic connects the near the coast universities in Bremen, Flensburg, Greifswald, Hamburg, Kiel, Lübeck, Rostock and Stralsund, which are located in the academy's catchment area.
Goals of the Working Group “Coastal Protection”
- To discuss and compare internationally measures and issues relating to coastal protection on the North Sea and Baltic Sea from the perspectives of various relevant disciplines
- Communicate research results to a wider public – especially those directly affected by coastal protection issues
- Organise dialogue-oriented lecture series on the topic of "coastal protection" on the North Sea and Baltic Sea
- Networking with Baltic academies on coastal protection issues
Project Description
A sea level rise of up to one metre by the end of the 21st century would also have consequences for future storm surges. In the North Sea, they could be up to more than one metre higher than, for example, the severe storm surge in February 1962. With such high water levels, the area to be protected from North Sea storm surges would increase by about ten per cent from the current 10,800 square kilometres. Due to the particularly strong westerly winds, the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein would be particularly affected.
However, coastal protection is also necessary on the Baltic Sea. This was demonstrated, for example, by the "Baltic Sea storm surge" of 12 to 13 November 1872, which claimed more than 250 lives, or more recently by the Baltic Sea storm surge of 20 to 21 October 2023, which is considered the worst flood in the last 150 years. The damage was enormous. In Schleswig-Holstein, it was estimated at around 200 million euros for the public sector alone. By the end of the 21st century, storm surges in the Baltic Sea could be up to 80 centimetres higher than the storm surge of 12 November 1872 due to sea level rise.
Perspectives and Review
- Spring 2028: Interdisciplinary public workshop to present the results achieved so far
- Winter semester 2027: Academy lecture series on the topic of “coastal protection”
- Autumn 2026 / Spring 2027: Workshop for experts in relevant disciplines
- Establishment of the working group in November 2025