Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? P. Michael Link 1,2,3 Jürgen Scheffran 1,2 1 University of Hamburg, Research Group Climate Change and Security 2 University of Hamburg, Institute of Geography 3 University of Hamburg, Research Unit Sustainability and Global Change P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Outline 1. Sea level changes in the European North Sea 2. Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea Area 3. Trilateral Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4. Sea level changes in the Eastern Mediterranean 5. Possibilities for applications of adaptive measures in Egypt P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
The Wadden Sea coasts of the European North Sea • The North Sea covers 750000 km 2 in Northwestern Europe • There are seven riparians: GB, DK, N, D, NL, B, F • Major water exchange with the Atlantic Ocean due to tides • Heavily used water body for many different human activities • The coasts in the Southeastern part of the North Sea (German Bight) are unique: Wadden Sea • Wadden Sea extends from Esbjerg (DK) to Den Helder (NL) • more than 500 km long • UNESCO world heritage • high ecological value for migrating birds (Bungenstock & Weerts, 2010) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Historic development of the sea level in the North Sea P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Regional sea level changes in the past decades P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Elevation of the coastal areas around the North Sea P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Projected development of the sea level in the North Sea P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Projected development of the sea level in the North Sea country affected area of a % of the total population at risk SLR of 1m country area 20277 km 2 Netherlands 48.4 5 139 000 13910 km 2 Germany 4.0 1 565 000 Poland 3781 km 2 1.2 345 000 3177 km 2 Denmark 7.4 155 000 2540 km 2 United Kingdom 1.0 372 000 1148 km 2 Belgium 3.8 262 000 (Nicholls et al., 2006) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Outline 1. Sea level changes in the European North Sea 2. Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea Area 3. Trilateral Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4. Sea level changes in the Eastern Mediterranean 5. Possibilities for applications of adaptive measures in Egypt P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea area: mainland protection with dikes (Wikiwand, 2015) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea area: beach nourishment • In many islands of the Wadden Sea area sand is added to beaches as protective measure • In Germany, beach nourishment is mainly used on the islands of Sylt and Norderney • In the Netherlands, it is general practice • Beach nourishment widens beaches and protects the structures along the coast as long as the sand remains in place • However, it is expensive and must be continuously repeated • Also, it negatively affects the existing ecosystems at the beaches as they are buried below the added masses of sand P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea area: storm surge barriers • These are effective ways to prevent storm surges near the mouths of rivers • The Delta Works with the Easter Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier is the largest coastal protection project in the world (9 km long) • The Eider Barrage (D) is the largest coastal protection structure in Germany • Entire water bodies such as rivers and lakes can be shut off from tidal influences relieving pressures during extreme events • They are extremely costly and need constant maintenance • They are at fixed height and difficult to upgrade if necessary P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea area: sedimentary growth of islands (Deicke & Carius, 2011) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Outline 1. Sea level changes in the European North Sea 2. Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea Area 3. Trilateral Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4. Sea level changes in the Eastern Mediterranean 5. Possibilities for applications of adaptive measures in Egypt P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Infrastructure for energy production in the North Sea P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Areas for wind energy production in Northern Germany P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Plan coordinating the multiple uses of the German North Sea (BSH, 2007) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
The trilateral agreement on the protection of the Wadden Sea • Founded in 1978 to protect the Wadden Sea as a single ecological entity • Guiding principle: to “ achieve, as far as possible, a natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural processes proceed in an undisturbed way ” • Joint declaration first signed in 1982 and updated in 2010 • Goals of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation: • protects and conserves the Wadden Sea as an ecological entity through common policies and management. • monitors and assesses the quality of the Wadden Sea ecosystem in collaboration with national and regional authorities and scientific institutions as a basis for effective protection and management. • cooperates internationally with other marine sites on protection, conservation and management. • engages the public in the protection of the Wadden Sea through awareness-raising activities and environmental education. • secures the sustainable development of the Wadden Sea with respect to its natural and cultural values. P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
The concept of coastal ecosystem services as tool for coastal management ecosystem structure human drivers of and functions ecosystem change production function ecosystem goods economic values valuation and services • First mentioned in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) • Categorization of CES: • regulating services (e.g. coastal protection) • provisioning services (e.g. marine resources, biodiversity) • cultural services (e.g. recreation, “Heimat”) • supporting services (e.g. nutrient storage) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Outline 1. Sea level changes in the European North Sea 2. Coastal protection in the Wadden Sea Area 3. Trilateral Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4. Sea level changes in the Eastern Mediterranean 5. Possibilities for applications of adaptive measures in Egypt P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Elevation levels along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast (Frihy & El-Sayed, 2013) P. Michael Link: Adaptation to sea level rise in the European Wadden Sea: can promising approaches be applied in Egypt? Cairo Climate Talks, Cairo, Egypt, June 02, 2015
Recommend
More recommend
