Future Urban Coastlines

In the past 2000 years sea levels have only changed insignificantly. However, in connection with climate change, sea levels increased and are projected to rise dramatically. Regional and local sea level rise cannot be predicted precisely for the coming decades and centuries, as it is affected by different factors and driven by (future) human actions.

This deeply uncertain future poses new challenges to coastal regions and requires adaptation measures allowing communities to respond adaptively and dynamically to marine and climate stresses. Adaptation measures protect coastal populations, which are an integral part of the coastal ecosystem. As such, adaptation measures must be integrated into the coastal ecosystem and follow a building with nature approach (as a contrast to traditional building in nature), in order to preserve and support existing or provide extinct or new ecosystem services and nature-based co-benefits.

The Combining core elements of the TU Braunschweig's Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, the work of the interdisciplinary Junior Research Group "Future Urban Coastlines" is set within the context of TU Braunschweig's Future Cities (Stadt der Zukunft). The group combines the expertise of traditional civil- and coastal engineering with knowledge of ecology and social sciences. With that, the group aims at (a) giving a comprehensive assessment of possible adaptation pathways on urban and space-restricted coasts and (b) providing sustainable approaches to respond to climate change and associated effects.