Climate change

Climate change is rapidly becoming one of the most significant risks for World Heritage sites (IUCN). The Wadden Sea World Heritage Property is currently experiencing direct impacts such as rising temperatures and increased precipitation, as well as indirect effects like the influx of warm-water species from the south and changes in the timing of life cycle events- trends observed over the past decades. Future projections present a challenge marked by considerable uncertainty. It remains unclear how projected changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, sea level rise, erosion and sedimentation would affect Wadden Sea geomorphology, biodiversity and ecosystem services. As these changes unfold, understanding their implications becomes crucial for effective conservation and management strategies.

Climate change and exacerbated sea level rise pose a formidable threat to the structure, functions and characteristic biodiversity of the Wadden Sea ecosystem, and encroaches on the safety of the inhabitants of the region. Addressing these far-reaching impacts has emerged as a pivotal, cross-cutting theme for the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC). The complexity is intensified by the inherent uncertainties in predicting the diverse effects of climate change.

Trilateral activities, addressing the intricate challenges of climate change, date back to 1998, with the establishment of the trilateral Working Group Coastal Protection and Sea Level Rise (CPSL). Comprising experts in coastal and nature protection, as well as spatial planning, this group has played an essential role in providing insights to the Trilateral Governmental Conferences. Building on this foundation, the year 2011 witnessed a significant development of these efforts, with the establishment of the trilateral Task Group Climate (TG-C), advancing the responsibilities of its predecessor, the CPSL. This transition underscores a continuous commitment to staying at the forefront of climate-related concerns and adapting strategies to the evolving dynamics of the Wadden Sea region.


 

Climate Change Adaption Strategy

The trilateral work related to climate change currently focuses on enhancing the resilience of the Wadden Sea ecosystem to the impacts of climate change. TG-C developed a trilateral Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (CCAS) with seven strategic objectives and guiding principles. Adopted at the 12th Wadden Sea Conference 2014 in Tønder, Denmark, the strategy aims to enhance the resilience of the Wadden Sea ecosystem.

Seven CCAS strategic objectives and guiding principles

Natural dynamics

The Wadden Sea ecosystem has adapted to environmental changes for millennia. Allowing and restoring natural dynamics increases the resilience of the Wadden Sea to climate change.

Interconnectivity

Interconnectivity of habitats allows species and communities to follow shifts of climatic conditions; thereby preventing extinction and securing adaptation of characteristic biodiversity.

Integration

Climate change is a cross-cutting theme and requires an integrated approach across borders and disciplines.

Flexibility

To cope with uncertainties of predictions, a flexible approach is required. Adaptive management facilitates timely responses to new information on actual and projected changes.

Long-term approach

Climate change and accelerated sea level rise are gradual processes that need a long-term management approach.

Site specific approach

Challenges and optimal adaptation may differ throughout the Wadden Sea Region, hence cooperation and knowledge exchange on best site-specific solutions are required.

Participation

Active involvement of a wide range of stakeholders should lead to awareness for the challenges of climate change and acceptance of adaptation measures.

 

The strategy’s implementation was evaluated in a CCAS monitoring report in 2017. The seven principles are being applied in a wide range of projects and policies in the trilateral Wadden Sea Area. TG-C recommends continued monitoring of the trilateral CCAS, with a focus on embedding the results in long-term trilateral climate change policies. Additionally, TG-C highlights the importance of continuous trilateral knowledge exchange to promote best practices for adapting to climate change. This proactive approach ensure that the lessons learned, and successes achieved are leveraged for long-term benefit of the Wadden Sea Region.


 

Coastal protection and Building with Nature

Climate change impacts in the Wadden Sea are strongly interlinked with coastal protection, and spatial planning, as escalating threats of flooding and coastal erosion, driven by sea level rise, and storm surges, pose significant risk to life and the Wadden Sea regional economy. With approximately 3.5 million inhabitants reliant on effective and reliable coastal risk management, as highlighted by the Coastal Protection and Sea Level Rise report in 2010 (CPSL, 2010), the imperative for robust management plans becomes paramount.

Management plans and projects must cope with uncertainties regarding the extent of climate change and responses of the highly complex Wadden Sea system. Traditionally, hard infrastructures such as concrete dams or dikes covered with stone are being used to protect against flooding. While ensuring the safety of inhabitants and preserving economic functions is non-negotiable, the value of the landscape and nature should always be considered when taking measures for coastal risk management. The demand for adaptive flood protection and combined coastal risk and nature conservation management is increasing and with-it, new concepts of eco-engineering are emerging. Building with Nature (BwN) is such an emerging complementary concept, in which natural processes are used to ensure safety against coastal erosion and flooding. Both nature and people may benefit from these solutions.

A common transnational evidence base to optimise the effectiveness of BwN solutions is currently being established in the INTERREG North Sea Region project “Building with Nature”. In this North Sea region-wide project partners from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland and Sweden work together with the overall objective of making coasts, estuaries and catchments more adaptable and resilient to the effects of climate change. Coastal target sites include sand nourishment laboratories at North Sea coast and Wadden Sea barrier islands in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Sand nourishments are in principle a coastal protection measure, but they are also a way to support the Wadden Sea in adjusting to rising sea level as nourishments increase the availability of sediment in the coastal zone.

The Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) is a partner in the Building with Nature project and ensures the knowledge exchange between the trilateral Task Group Climate (TG-C) and project partners, as well as facilitating workshops and symposia in which experience and best practices with BwN approaches are exchanged and evaluated. To support the evidence base for best practices for Building with Nature activities, a Wadden Sea Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform has been developed, which includes trilateral policy and management, best practices, monitoring and assessment, and activities in communication and education (Policy reports, scientific reports, projects etc.).