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.

Ecologic Institute (2014): Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST) Newsletter. Newsletter. Berlin: Ecologic Institute.

Stelljes, Nico (2014): Kommunale Anpassungsstrategien im Vergleich – Inhaltsanalytische Betrachtung von neun Anpassungsstrategien in Küstenregionen. Berlin. RADOST-Journal Series, Journal No. 31.

Martinez, Grit; Bray, Dennis (2011): Befragung politischer Entscheidungsträger zur Wahrnehmung des Klimawandels und zur Anpassung an den Klimawandel an der deutschen Ostseeküste. Ecologic Institut Berlin & Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. RADOST-Berichtsreihe, Bericht Nr. 4.

Blobel, Daniel et al. 2014: "RADOST – Regionale Anpassungsstrategien für die deutsche Ostseeküste", in: Hendrik Bieberler et al. (eds.): Wege zur Anpassung an de Klimawandel. Regionale Netzwerke, Strategien und Maßnahmen. Köln: Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Köln Medien GmbH, 21.

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 of different surveys and interviews and compare them in their article. Within the RADOST project, several stakeholders on the Baltic Sea Cost were interviewed using different methodologies. The topic of interest for all the surveys and interviews was stakeholders' views on adaptation to climate change on the Baltic Sea Coast.

On-time adaptation can be achieved only when future climate change and its consequences are successfully communicated. With their book "Communicating Adaptation to Regional Climate Change. Concepts, Challenges, and Perspectives", Karin Beese (Ecologic Institute), Miriam Fekkak, Christine Katz, Claudia Körner, and Heike Molitor enter the new area of "Communicating Adaptation." Through a collection of articles by 50 authors, the book presents theoretical approaches and reports of practical implementation as well as hands-on mediation for art and cultural projects.