The Wadden Sea Forum is dealing with climate change and climate adaptation as it concerns our society and the different sectors. Answers on these questions are of high interest for the Wadden Sea Forum (WSF) stakeholders. Due to cooperation agreements, the climate office of the HZG (Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht) has adapted their existing climate atlas to the requirements of the WSF sectors.
Questions this practice may help answer
- What water levels can be expected in the southern North Sea in 2050?
- How will the vegetation period change over the next decades?
- Which temperatures can we expect along the coast?
Implementation Context
The Wadden Sea Forum is dealing with climate change and climate adaptation as it concerns our society and the different sectors. There was a need for a practical instrument to inform stakeholders in these sectors about climate change.
Aspects / Objectives
Inform stakeholders in the Wadden Sea Forum about the effects of climate change to the Wadden Sea Region.
Method
Due to cooperation agreements, the climate office of the HZG (Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht) has adapted their existing climate atlas to the requirements of the WSF sectors. For the Wadden Sea Region, several climate scenarios are placed in this atlas and different parameters can be selected. Further information on water levels, wave heights and water currents will be carried out and integrated in the atlas within the coming months. It is also foreseen, to provide the atlas in the Danish, German and Dutch language.
Main Outputs / Results
The Wadden Sea Atlas can be found here:. The Altas provides the opportunity to see the consequences of climate change for the future based on scientifical scenarios. There are about 50 different scenarios where stakeholders can see the outcome for the temperature (average, hot days, cold days etc), precipitation (heavy rain, dry periods etc), wind (storm intensity, mean wind speed etc) and vegetation (start of growing season, length of season).
Transferability
The already existing altas has been adapted to include the Wadden Sea as an area. The practice is highly transferrable and the atlas can be extended to other areas in Europe.
Costs / Funding Source
Paid by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung GmbH in cooperation with the Wadden Sea Forum
Responsible Entity
Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht
Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung GmbH
Institut für Küstenforschung
Max-Planck-Straße 1
21502 Geesthacht
Wadden Sea Forum e.V.
Secretariat
Virchowstrasse 1
D - 26382 Wilhelmshaven