The RADOST project ("Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast") has intensely dealt with climate change, its consequences, and adaptation possibilities for the Baltic Sea coast over the last four and a half years. The final conference took place in the Rostock City Hall from 1 to 2 April 2014, before the project ends this year.
During the conference, research results and experiences were presented to a broader audience. Also, experts from science and practice discussed the challenges of climate change and possible adaptation measures.
A main question was which of the impulses generated through RADOST can be further developed in the region. In parallel to the RADOST focal themes, the following topics will be emphasized:
Between 1 and 3 September 2015, experts from eleven countries in Europe, North and South America met at São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) in São Paulo (Brazil) to discuss how the interactions between social science and humanities (SSH) and environmental science (ES) researchers are opening new pathways to transformative research in the environment, providing innovative solutions to global problems. As research initiatives are taking an increasingly interdisciplinary perspective, involving studies that require analysis of the world at multiple space- and timescales, these new visions of research are affecting the way theories are formulated, analyses are per-formed, and research is conducted. Consequently, strengthening these research interactions is essential. Dr. Grit Martinez participated in the event by invitation from the German Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF).
Between 2009 and 2014 the RADOST project team developed regional adaptation strategies in a dialogue between research institutions, business, public administration and civil society. 36 reports were published as part of the RADOST report series.
The BACC II (Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea basin) is an updated assessment of ongoing climate variations in the Baltic Basin for the period 2009-2014. The book is an update of the first BACC assessment, published in 2008, and offers new and updated scientific findings in regional climate research for the Baltic Sea basin. The evidence collected and presented in BACC II shows that the regional climate has already started to change and this is expected to continue. Dr. Grit Martinez from Ecologic Institute is co-author of the article 'Climate Science and Communication for the Baltic Sea Region'. BACC II is a project of the Baltic Earth research network and contributes to the World Climate Research Programme.
What makes adaptation measures successful, and how can they be used as good examples? In his recent article "The view beyond the horizon – International examples of climate adaptation", Dr. Nico Stelljes aims to answer this question using different success factors for the classification of good examples of adaptation to climate change, presenting five examples of adaptation measures. The article was published in the seventh volume of the OEKOM series 'Climate Change within Regions'.
Over 123 million Americans and nearly half of European citizens live on or near their respective coasts. What coastal stakeholders in Europe and the U.S. learn from each other to safeguarding their shores has been explored in a publication by Dr. Grit Martinez from Ecologic Institute in collaboration with colleagues from Duke and Humboldt University.
Climate change perceptions and attitudes towards climate adaptation measures are critical in determining local actions, their main focus, and the way in which new challenges and measures are approached. The author, Doris Knoblauch, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute, comes to the conclusion that coastal protection is predominant among potential climate adaptation measures. Therefore, other measures do not receive enough attention in the German Baltic sea region.
In the future, climate change can impact the effectiveness and costs of water quality improvement measures. This must be taken into account when selecting measures to implement in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Until now, the consequences of climate change have not been systematically incorporated into the economic analyses called for by the WFD. A new book chapter evaluates the basic approaches used to date, thereby contributing to the necessary discussion on how existing and future programs of measures consider and integrate the consequences of climate change.
The German Bundesländer Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern both lie on the Baltic Sea coast. Their attitudes towards a) climate change adaptation and b) the way in which local communities and industries shape their climate change adaptation measures are different. Doris Knoblauch and Dr. Nico Stelljes, both Fellows at Ecologic Institute suggest in their article that there are cultural settings, which influence the perception of climate change and, consequently, the proposed adaptation measures in the two states.
In their book "Social Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Regions" Grit Martinez (Ecologic Institute), Peter Fröhle, and Hans-Joachim Meier address often overlooked but key societal aspects that influence stakeholders to engage or not to engage in adapting to a changing climate. Therefore sociocultural and ecological dimensions of adaptation to a changing climate in coastal regions are the focus of the anthology.
In the context of the conference "Coastal Management & Climate Change: Status Quo" on 5 and 6 October 2009 in Rostock – Warnemünde the RADOST project (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast) celebrated its regional kick-off.
The two-day... Read more
The RADOST project brought together roughly 100 participants to its first annual conference, which took place in Schwerin. The focus of the conference was set on the challenges of climate change in the German Baltic Sea region. Discussions were held about the current... Read more
What are the expected impacts of climate change at the regional and local level at the German Baltic Sea coast? How can local stakeholders adapt to these? What kind of scientific information do they need as a basis for implementing such measures? These questions were... Read more
The latest research results on climate change and adaptation along the German Baltic Sea Coast are presented by the RADOST project (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast) in its 3rd annual report. They were developed in cooperation with partners... Read more
RADOST consortium (Ed.) 2012: 3. RADOST Jahresbericht. RADOST-Berichtsreihe, Bericht Nr 14. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.
After two years of project work, the second annual report of RADOST (Regional adaption measures for the German Baltic Sea Coast) presents research results and experiences of cooperation with political decision makers in ministries, administrations and communities. The... Read more
This new handbook was developed as part of the project RADOST (Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast). It provides a concise overview of adaptation policies being planned and implemented at the national, regional, and European level, including... Read more
Andrew Reid, Franziska Stuke 2012: RADOST Handbook: Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Baltic Sea Region. [RADOST Journal Series 10]. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.