Understanding regional climate change, identifying the consequences and discussing the effects. The REKLIM research association’s fifth regional conference this year focuses on coastal regions. What effect does climate change have on areas between land and sea, and what are the consequences? Researchers from the Helmholz Association’s research consortium REKLIM “Regional Climate Change” discuss with representatives from politics and business the challenges facing society as a result of climate change.
The conference takes place on 29th September 2015 in the “Alte Pumpwerk” in Bremen. As well as experts from the Alfred Wegener-Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the Institute for Coastal Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrums Geesthacht (HZG), decision-makers from politics and business have been actively involved in creating the programme. “In order to address the challenges resulting from rising temperatures and sea levels in our long-term planning, we need reliable scientific data and forecasts. The REKLIM Conference offers an excellent platform for discussion to discover more about research opportunities and limitations and to establish society’s needs,” explains Dr Joachim Lohse, Bremen’s Senator for Environment, Construction and Transport. At the conference, Lohse joins Gerd-Rüdiger Kück (State Councillor for the Senator for Science, Health and Consumer Protection) and Uwe Dahl (Managing Director of Hansewasser) in a panel discussion on this topic with AWI Director Prof. Karin Lochte and REKLIM Coordinator Prof. Peter Lemke.
Before that, HZG’s Scientific Director Prof. Wolfgang Kaysser, together with Lochte, opens the conference where experts from both institutes present their latest findings on coastal climate. One of the topics: Northern Germany has become markedly warmer in recent decades and the sea level at German coasts has risen by about 15 to 20 centimetres over the last 100 years. Many climate scenarios suggest that this development is set to continue in Northern Germany. Other topics include storm development in coastal regions, the practical use of the “coastDat” database, which makes raw data on past and potential future coastal climates freely accessible, and different climate perceptions and their implications for adaptation measures at a regional level.
The REKLIM research consortium was founded in 2009. Its research focuses on investigating the regional effects and consequences of climate change, particularly in Germany, Western Europe and in coastal regions. Over the years, the REKLIM research consortium has developed a network, which takes natural-science as well as sociological approaches and assigns great value to knowledge transfer. The conference recognises the “meereisportal.de” platform as an “excellent place in the land of ideas”, which is home to expert knowledge and a varied collection of maps and data related to sea ice. The conference on 29th September is organised by, among others, the regional climate offices at the AWI and the HZG. Around 150 interested participants from academia, politics and the public are attending the regional conference.
You can find more information at: http://www.reklim.de/en.html
