Dr. Nico Stelljes

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Dr. Nico Stelljes

Doctor of Natural Sciences
Environmental Scientist (Diplom-Umweltwissenschaftler)

Coordinator Coastal and Marine Studies
Fellow

Team
Topics

Dr. Nico Stelljes is a Fellow at Ecologic Institute and coordinates its work in coastal and marine studies. His research interests include regional adaptation to climate change, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), sustainability, transdisciplinarity, perceptions of climate change, and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. He works in German and in English.

He is involved in several projects on marine and coastal aspects. He heads the MEER:STARK project for the German Federal Environment Agency. He is also involved in a project to strengthen the carbon storage potential of the North and Baltic Seas. Other projects in which he has been involved include Blue BioEconomy and the economic assessment of marine ecosystems and environmental pollution of the oceans.

Dr. Nico Stelljes was involved in the Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST) project team, which was coordinated by Ecologic Institute Berlin. RADOST was one of seven model regions in Germany that were supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the funding initiative KLIMZUG (Managing Climate Change in the Regions for the Future). Dr. Nico Stelljes was a member of the project team "Innovation in the provision of climate services" (INNOVA). The project was part of the ERA-NET consortium "European Research Area for Climate Services" (ERA4CS) and develops climate services for four case study regions in Europe.  Dr. Nico Stelljes was also member of the project "Reducing nutrient loadings from agricultural soils to the Baltic Sea via groundwater and streams" (Soils2Sea). Within the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), he was part of a project on Bottom-Up Climate Adaptation Strategies for a Sustainable Europe (BASE). In the project RISC-KIT, he focused on the development and analysis of resilience-increasing strategies for coasts.

The transfer of knowledge and cooperation with different actors is an important field of activity for Dr. Nico Stelljes. In addition to his scientific work, he is active in organising and moderating workshops. He was part of the Programme Committee of the second Conference on Climate Adaptation (ECCA2015) and the third BONUS Symposium (2018). As part of the RISC-KIT project, he was significantly involved in the development of a website for risk communication on European coasts. Further information on his projects and publications can be found at researchgate.

Before joining Ecologic Institute, Dr. Nico Stelljes worked at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, where he participated in various projects, such as Zukunft Küste – Coastal Futures. Within this project, he began writing his doctoral thesis, entitled "The Impact of Demography Change on Sustainability Aspects in a Coastal Region" [pdf, 4.9 MB, German]. He completed his doctoral degree at the Geographical Institute of the University of Hamburg (Germany) in 2012.

Dr. Nico Stelljes studied environmental science at Leuphana University Lüneburg in Germany with a focus on ecology and landscape planning. His thesis focused on sand replenishment as a coastal protection strategy on the island of Sylt.

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Selected projects by Dr. Nico Stelljes
ProjectCross-sectoral Support for Sustainable Climate Adaptation and Resilient Ecosystems in the North- and Baltic Sea (MEER:STARK)
 
project logo with the project acronym Meerstark.

© Gregory Fuchs 2023

Climate change is a stressor for oceans and seas, affecting the North Sea and Baltic Sea in many ways. The surface waters of the Baltic Sea have warmed on average more than those of the world's oceans and will continue to warm. In the North Sea, the temperature increase... Read more

Cross-sectoral Support for Sustainable Climate Adaptation and Resilient Ecosystems in the North- and Baltic Sea (MEER:STARK)

Duration
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Funding
ProjectStrengthening the Carbon Storage Potential of the North Sea and Baltic Sea
 

Photo: Ecologic Institute | Nico Stelljes

The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) calls for the achievement and maintenance of good environmental status (GES) in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) also postulates, among other things, the achievement of good ecological... Read more

Strengthening the Carbon Storage Potential of the North Sea and Baltic Sea

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ProjectEconomic Valuation of Marine Ecosystems and Environmental Pressures on the Oceans
 

Photo: Ecologic Institute | Nico Stelljes

As described in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from nature and in particular from certain ecosystems. There are various approaches to value these ecosystem services and the degradation and valorisation... Read more

Economic Valuation of Marine Ecosystems and Environmental Pressures on the Oceans

Duration
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ProjectGreening the Blue Bioeconomy and Transition to Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
 

Musselfarming in Italy

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Image by Jacek Kijewski from Pixabay

Unsustainable use of the oceans and their resources leads to severe problems, like depletion of fish stocks, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and increased pollution, among other negative impacts. With a scoping study, awarded by the European Environment Agency ... Read more

Greening the Blue Bioeconomy and Transition to Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

Duration
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ProjectImplementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MEER project)
 
Ostseeküste | © Ecologic Institut
The aim of the project is to provide technical support and assistance for the tasks of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) in implementing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the necessary cooperation on a regional, national and EU level. As a... Read more

Implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MEER project)

Duration
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ProjectManagement Effectiveness of Marine Natura 2000 Sites and other EU Marine Protected Areas
 

© Nico Stelljes

To safeguard biodiversity and to address increasingly complex threats to marine ecosystems, EU Member States have designated networks of marine protected areas (MPAs). Whilst the MPAs cover about 12% of EU seas, almost 75% of those are part of the Natura 2000 network,... Read more

Management Effectiveness of Marine Natura 2000 Sites and other EU Marine Protected Areas

Duration
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ProjectHorizon 2020Multi-use Offshore Platforms Demonstrators for Boosting Cost-effective and Eco-friendly Production in Sustainable Marine Activities (UNITED)
 

© UNITED

The UNITED project provides evidence by means of pilot demonstrators that the development of multi-use platforms or co-location of different activities in a marine and ocean space is a viable approach (economically, socially and environmentally) for European maritime... Read more

Multi-use Offshore Platforms Demonstrators for Boosting Cost-effective and Eco-friendly Production in Sustainable Marine Activities (UNITED)

Duration
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ProjectThe EU4Ocean Coalition for Ocean Literacy
 
The European Ocean Coalition (EU4Ocean) connects diverse organisations, projects and people that contribute to ocean literacy and the sustainable management of the ocean. Supported by the European Commission, this bottom-up inclusive initiative aims at uniting the... Read more

The EU4Ocean Coalition for Ocean Literacy

Duration
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Funding
ProjectInnovation in Climate Services Provision (INNOVA)
 
| Fotolia © Victoria
The research project INNOVA will consolidate key factors from adaptive management strategies from leading earlier and on-going European initiatives in Spain (Valencia), Germany (Bay of Kiel) and the Netherlands (Nijmegen) and France’ overseas territories in Guadeloupe... Read more

Innovation in Climate Services Provision (INNOVA)

Duration
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ProjectCommunication on the IPCC Special Reports "Climate Change and Land" and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate"
 
| ©tai111|Fotolia.com
The aim of the project participants is to provide the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) with scientific support in communicating the results of the IPCC Special Reports on "Climate Change and Land" (SRCCL) and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate" ... Read more

Communication on the IPCC Special Reports "Climate Change and Land" and "The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate"

Duration
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Funding
Selected publications by Dr. Nico Stelljes
PublicationReportOcean as a Global Commons
 
Scientific Review Paper
The study "Ocean as a Global Commons: International Governance and the Role of Germany" was developed by Ecologic Institute at the request of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) as part of the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 ... Read more

Abhold, K., Hoffmann, H., McGlade, K., Krüger, I., Stelljes, N. (2019): Oceans as Global Commons. International Governance and the Role of Germany. Report to the Science Platform Sustainability 2030. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

PublicationBook SectionUsing Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City
 
Stelljes, Nico: Using Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City. Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. in: Ng, K., Campos, I., Penha-Lopes, G. (Eds.). (2016). BASE adaptation inspiration book: 23 European cases... Read more

Stelljes, Nico: Using Active Public Participation in the Co-development of Coastal Protection Strategies for a Touristic Beach City. Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. in: Ng, K., Campos, I., & Penha-Lopes, G. (Eds.). (2016). BASE adaptation inspiration book: 23 European cases of climate change adaptation to inspire European decision-makers, practitioners and citizens. Lisbon: Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 122-125.

PublicationDocumentResults from Stakeholder Workshops on Governance Concepts
 
Stelljes, N., McGlade, K., Martinez, G., BONUS SOILS2SEA Deliverable 6.4. Results from stakeholder workshops on governance concepts. Ecologic Institute, Berlin, December 2017, www.soils2sea.eu ... Read more

Stelljes, N., McGlade, K., Martinez, G., BONUS SOILS2SEA Deliverable 6.4. Results from stakeholder workshops on governance concepts. Ecologic Institute, Berlin, December 2017, www.soils2sea.eu

PublicationBook SectionDer Blick über den Tellerrand
 
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... Read more

Stelljes, Nico 2015: "Der Blick über den Tellerrand. Internationale Beispiele der Klimaanpassung.", in: Jörg Knieling and Bernhard Müller (eds.): Klimaanpassung in der Stadt- und Regionalentwicklung. Ansätze, Instrumente, Maßnahmen und Beispiele. [Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten Band 7]. München: oekom verlag, 121-141.

PublicationArticleOpportunities and Barriers for Water Co-Governance
 
Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture (DWPA) and its governance has received increased attention as a policy concern across the globe. Mitigation of DWPA is a complex problem that requires a mix of policy instruments and a multi-agency, broad societal response. In... Read more

Morten Graversgaard, Hedelin B., Smith L., Gertz F., Højberg A.L., Langford J., Martinez G., Mostert E., Ptak E., Peterson H., Stelljes N., van den Brink C., and Refsgaard J.C., Opportunities and Barriers for Water Co-Governance—A Critical Analysis of Seven Cases of Diffuse Water Pollution from Agriculture in Europe, Australia and North America. Sustainability 2018.10, 1634.

PublicationBook SectionAkteursanalyse und Befragungen in RADOST
 
Climate change is perceived as a problem by most stakeholders (policy makers, administrations and civil society) on the Baltic Sea Coast. However, they do not agree on how to deal with it. Nico Stelljes, Doris Knoblauch, Robin Körth and Grit Martinez sum up the findings... Read more

Stelljes, Nico; Doris Knoblauch; Grit Martinez and Robin Körth 2014: "Akteursanalyse und Befragungen in RADOST: Klimaanpassung aus Sicht von Akteuren an der Ostseeküste", in: Karin Beese et al. (eds.): Anpassung an regionale Klimafolgen kommunizieren. Konzepte, Herausforderungen und Perspektiven. [KLIMZUG-Reihe: Klimawandel in Regionen zukunftsfähig gestalten. München: oekom Verlag, 167-178.

PublicationBook SectionRegional Perspectives Concerning Climate Change and Coastal Adaptation
 
The German Bundesländer Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern both lie on the Baltic Sea coast. However, they have a different history, as the former was part of the Federal Republic of Germany, while the latter belonged to the German Democratic Republic. This... Read more

Knoblauch, Doris and Stelljes, Nico 2014: "Regional perspectives concerning climate change and coastal adaptation. A comparison between Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein", in: Grit Martinez; Hans-Joachim Meier and Peter Fröhle (eds.): Social Dimensions of Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Regions – Findings from Transdisciplinary Research. Munich: oekom verlag, 45-60.

Recent content by Dr. Nico Stelljes

Event:Digital Event
 
Join us for an exciting virtual expert workshop on 10 December 2024, from 10:00 to 12:30 CET, organized by the Ecologic Institute and AquaEcology. This workshop is part of the German-funded research project MEER:STARK that addresses the urgent need for climate resilience in marine conservation. With a focus on Europe-wide collaboration, this event aims to explore how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be adapted to withstand future climate impacts and support adapting to climatic changes.

Climate-Ready Marine Protected Areas: Building Resilience and Supporting Marine Adaptation

Virtual Workshop


online

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Project
 
The aim of the project is to obtain as accurate an overview as possible of the ecosystems in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea before the start of intensive human use. This will support the development of a scientific basis for decision-making that will enable the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the North Sea and Baltic Sea authorities to identify the need for political action to establish specific marine protected areas, to reintroduce projects in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea and to initiate appropriate measures.

The German North Sea and Baltic Sea over 100 Years Ago

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Event:Digital Event
 
The Climateurope2 Webstival will take place on 19 and 20 September 2024. This virtual event will provide a platform for exchange on the development, use and quality of climate services and their importance for innovation and policymaking. The Webstival ties in with the 2022 and 2023 editions and will once again address topics relevant to the application of climate services. Registration for the Webstival is still open. Take the opportunity to participate in exciting discussions on the future of climate services.

Climateurope2 Webstival on Climate Innovation and Standardization

Third edition

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online

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News
 
Image of a road barrier in front of floodwaters with a pedestrian sign. Text above encourages participation in an online survey about future equitable and quality-assured climate services. A yellow button with the text 'PARTICIPATE NOW!' is prominently displayed.
The future of climate services depends on your input! The EU project Climateurope2 is working to improve the development and quality standards of climate services to ensure they are trustworthy and effective. Dr. Grit Martinez of Ecologic Institute invites you to take part in an important survey that will help guide this effort. By sharing your insights, you can contribute to the creation of standardisation procedures for climate services that support both adaptation and mitigation efforts. Take the survey now and help shape a more sustainable future!
 

Help Shape the Future of Equitable and Quality-Assured Climate Services!

Online survey

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Project
 
The aim of the project is to support the promotion of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in tropical and subtropical coastal regions. This is to be achieved by strengthening the technical information base, promoting the international exchange of experience and developing and communicating policy- and implementation-oriented recommendations for action to decision-makers.

Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Coastal Regions Worldwide (TROPICAL ADAPT)

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Event:Workshop
 
On 4 July 2024, an expert dialog on nature-based coastal protection took place at Ecologic Institute in Berlin. This event was intended to foster cross-sector dialogues between experts from different fields and thus contribute to the further development of nature-based coastal protection in order to meet the challenges of climate change and protect biodiversity in coastal regions.

Integrated Approaches for Marine Protection and Climate Adaptation in Cross-sector Dialog Using the Example of Nature-based Coastal Protection


online and Berlin, Germany

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Publication:Infographic
 
Poster titled 'Synergies and Strategies for Marine Protection and Climate Adaptation,' illustrating a research project on integrating marine protection and climate adaptation in coastal areas. The poster features a diagram of the Nexus approach, highlighting connections between marine protection, climate adaptation, socio-economic integration, policy, governance, and potential conflicts. Visual elements include various restoration, construction, and management measures ...
The poster ‘Synergies and Strategies for Marine Protection and Climate Adaptation’ presents key results and approaches of research on the integration of marine protection and climate adaptation. It shows how these two areas can be linked in order to effectively meet the challenges of climate change in marine and coastal ecosystems.

Synergien und Strategien für Meersschutz und Klimaanpassung

Year

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Project
 
The aim of this project is to compile an up-to-date overview of existing scientific studies on the economic valuation of marine ecosystems and their services, as well as on the environmental impacts of the oceans. The aim is to go beyond the consideration of short-term "provisioning services", both in terms of the ecosystem services recorded and in terms of geographical coverage.

Economic Valuation of Marine Ecosystems and Environmental Pressures on the Oceans

An inventory

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Project
 
The project aims to quantitatively assess the carbon storage potential of the North Sea and Baltic Sea in good environmental status according to the MSFD and in good ecological status according to the WFD. This assessment will provide clear recommendations on how natural climate protection in the seas can be improved and whether the current targets are sufficient from a climate protection perspective.  

Strengthening the Carbon Storage Potential of the North Sea and Baltic Sea

Focus on good environmental status eutrophication

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