Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania case study

1 Pre-foresight

The BaltCICA project addresses three different aspects of climate change adaptation in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania case study area:

•    Coastal protection
•    Coastal water quality and beach management
•    Tourism

Climate Change is for different reasons a challenge for this region. Already today the region suffers from declining coastlines. Erosion, on-going sea-level rise and, in most areas, a sinking coast (isostasy) cause together an average coastal decline of 34 cm per year. This situation will be intensified by climate change. And this is of great significance for the region as a whole because bathing tourism is one of the most important economic sectors. Attractive beaches are therefore a key for successful regional development. However, this is true also for good water quality in coastal waters. Climate change has impacts on coastal waters e.g. by eutrophication. And last but not least the local tourism stakeholders need to receive more information about climate change to be able to implement successful adaptation measures. BaltCICA therefore tackles all three fields.

Planned steps
•    Data collection – autumn 2009
•    Analyses and modelling – 2010
•    Climate change adaptation concept (coastal protection) – spring 2010
•    Different (stakeholder) workshops & consultations (water quality, tourism, coastal protection) – periodic
•    Implementation of a coastal protection adaptation concept – 2010
•    Monitoring (coastal protection, if necessary) – 2011
•    Recommendations (water quality, tourism) – summer 2011 to early 2012
•    Knowledge dissemination - periodic

2 Data and inputs

According to the broad approach of this case study different and large amounts of data had to be collected and compiled. For assessing climate change impacts on water quality in coastal waters and for identifying adaptation measures data for the 3D Baltic Sea Ecosystem Model (ERGOM) was needed. This comprises geographic, meteorological, hydrographical data as well as forcing data from other models (e.g. climate modelling, nutrient emissions modelling) and others more. For the development of a local coastal protection concept data like topographical data, digital terrain model (DGM) data, geological data et cetera was needed from field studies, literature and databases.

In preparation for the work with tourism stakeholders, interviews were conducted to analyse the structure of coastal tourism (key players, main documents). Information about today’s perception of climate change and about existing adaptation concepts were gathered. Furthermore communication channels to discuss climate change impacts as well as possible adaptation measures together with the tourism community have been identified.

3 Information transmission

In all cases data has been prepared, condensed and processed to a format that was usable for analyses and for developing adaptation strategies. For interactive phases information has been prepared in form of maps and diagrams to illustrate the current situations as well as potential future conditions considering climate change.

With regard to different conditions in the three thematic fields of this case study information material was processed partly for scientific and expert levels and partly for broader regional and local stakeholder levels. By this way climate change impacts like changes in surface temperatures of the Baltic Sea (figure 3) and possible adaptation measures e.g. for coastal water quality could be discussed with a wide audience.

Furthermore information material about regional climate change and adaptation was developed for a broad public to raise awareness and to strengthen an open discussion. Here core tools are national and international EUCC Coastal & Marine Newsletters with more than 5000 readers, exhibition materials and magazines. A national photo competition about climate change was convened to keep people more in tune to coastal processes and to build up a network of coastal watchers. Finally e-learning modules for tourism trainees will acquaint the next stakeholder generation with the topic of climate change adaptation.

4 Interaction

Conferences, consultations, workshops and discussions are part of the vivid adaptation process in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Again, this happens/has happened on different levels according to the different approaches in the different thematic fields. In case of the coastal protection adaptation measure the stakeholder consultation was organised according to legal requirements for construction projects. Details about the process as a whole and about the role of stakeholders can be found in this separate document. This climate change adaptation measure on Ruegen Island (Rugia) was fully agreed and had great acceptance within the local population.

In case of the theme “coastal water quality” expert workshops have been conducted. Results were shared with European and regional stakeholders and scientists to develop sustainable adaptation measures. This broader attempt was chosen because both transnational solutions and regional measures are needed here to implement successful adaptation.

A first tourism workshop was embedded in the conference ”Coastal management & climate change: Status quo”. Applied and scientific lectures as well as best-practice examples were presented and initial conclusions for German coastal tourism have been discussed. These ideas have been broadened and deepened within a second workshop and practitioners presented potential regional adaptation strategies. Within the discussion wrack deposition came up as a core issue and was discussed quite controversially. Further workshops will follow.

5 Output

A coastal protection concept considering climate change adaptation was successful approved for a part of Ruegen Island (Goehren/Lobbe) by the responsible state authority (States Agency for Agriculture and Environment (StALU MM). Furthermore this concept came alive and has been implemented (see figure 2 and poster).

Results from the BaltCICA work on coastal water quality will be used to develop more detailed adaptation measures within the national climate change adaptation project RADOST.

Potential climate change adaptation strategies will be developed for the tourism sector together with regional stakeholders. The various EUCC-D information materials about regional impacts of climate change on coastal tourism along the German Baltic Sea coast plus potential adaptation strategies, the published documents of the first workshops as well as the magazines can be downloaded below or also at the national website.

Responsible partners:

Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende (IOW)
EUCC – The Coastal Union Germany
States Agency for Agriculture and Environment Mittleres Mecklenburg (StALU MM)

Documents

Newsletter:

EUCC Coastal and MarinE-News No 1-2009 (EN)

EUCC Coastal and MarinE-News No 5-2009 (EN)

BaltCICA entry "www.anpassung.net" (DE)

EUCC Kuestennewsletter 3/2010 (DE)

EUCC Kuestennewsletter 5/2010 (DE)

EUCC Kuestennewsletter 6/2010 (DE)

Flyer:

EUCC-D Media flyer (EN)

EUCC-D Jellyfish Information flyer (DE)

Broschures