Compound events amplify climate impacts

View from the tidal gate and pumping station Knock near Emden. Photo: Jade-HS/ Helge Bormann

Coordinated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, the joint research project „Wasser an den Küsten Ostfrieslands: Basis für maßgeschneiderte Klimaservices für die Anpassung“ (WAKOS) investi-gated the impacts of such compound events in the region, how they change over time, and how existing risks are amplified. In the second phase of the research project, which started in March, the focus is now shifting to options for action and concepts for a climate resilient East Frisia.

The most important results of the first project phase, which has now been completed, show that there is a need for action: As East Frisia is partly below or only just above mean sea level, com-pound events, such as the simultaneous occurrence of storm surges and heavy rainfall, can in the worst case lead to an overload of pumping stations on the coast and thus to flooding of the lowlying areas.

Even the simultaneous occurrence of moderate individual events can be suffi-cient. The fact that such events can turn into disasters is also because there is often a lack of awareness and the need for precautions before they occur. Disasters are a cultural, resource-related, and organizational problem.

"In WAKOS, catalogs were developed together with the actors involved, which include a selection of possible climate adaptation measures that from the perspective of the actors are capable of mitigating or even interrupting possible event cascades and their social consequences in the future," says Hereon coastal researcher Dr Ralf Weisse.

In the project, natural and social sciences work together with local actors. In addition to Hereon, the project partners include the Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz (NLWKN), the Universität Hamburg (UHH), the Universität Oldenburg (UOL), and the Jade Hochschule Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth (Jade-HS). The Bundesamt für See-schifffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH) and the Niedersächsisches Kompetenzzentrum Klimawandel (NIKO) are associated partners. WAKOS is funded by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und For-schung (BMBF) in the framework program „Forschung für Nachhaltige Entwicklungen" (FONA3) and represents one of six model regions in the Fördermaßnahme Regionale Informationen zum Klimahandeln (RegIKlim).

WAKOS entered its second phase in March. "A central element of this phase will be the design of an information system tailored to the target group, which includes not only the provision of data, but also the valorization of information and formats for use and activities," says Cordula Berkenbrink from NLWKN.

According to the researchers, one of the aims is to close gaps in the region-specific provision of information. In addition, the focus is to jointly evaluate and categorize options for action, based on criteria developed jointly with the actors with the ambition of developing a climate-resilient East Frisia. "The aim is to develop concepts for transferring decision-relevant and action-motivating knowledge to society via multipliers," emphasizes Anke Wessels from the University of Hamburg.