Sea Level Rise in Europe: knowledge gaps identified through a participatory approach

Type Article
Acceptance Date 2023-12-07 IN PRESS
Language English
Author(s) Jiménez José A. (coord.)ORCID1, Bonaduce AntonioORCID2, Depuydt Michael3, Galluccio GiuliaORCID4, Van Den Hirk BartORCID5, Meier H. E. MarkusORCID6, Pinardi NadiaORCID7, Pomarico Lavinia G.8, Vazquez Riveiros NataliaORCID9, Winter GundulaORCID5
Affiliation(s) 1 : Laboratori d’Enginyeria Marítima, Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya·BarcelonaTech, Barcelona 08034, Spain.
2 : Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC), Bergen, Norway
3 : Joint Programming Initiative – Climate, Brussels, Belgium.
4 : Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, 20123 Milano, Italy.
5 : Deltares, Boussinesqweg 1, Delft, The Netherlands
6 : Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, 18119 Rostock, Germany
7 : Decade Collaborative Center for Coastal Resilience, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Italy
8 : Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans, Brussels, Belgium
9 : UMR 6538 Geo-Ocean, CNRS, IFREMER, UBO, Plouzané, France
Source Scientific synthesis reports and assessments (Copernicus GmbH) In Press
DOI 10.5194/sp-2023-34
Note this preprint is currently under review for the journal SP.
Abstract

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) plays a pivotal role in delivering information and knowledge on sea level rise (SLR), a global threat impacting coastlines worldwide. However, considerable disparities still persist in Europe in understanding and applying sea level science, evaluating its repercussions, and devising effective adaptation strategies. These are influenced by local factors such as diverse environments, socioeconomic conditions, policy contexts, and diversity in stakeholder involvement, producing in turn varying knowledge gaps and information needs across European sea basins. In this context, this paper presents the findings of a comprehensive scoping process carried out by the European Knowledge Hub on Sea Level Rise (KH-SLR) to define the outline of the first KH-SLR Assessment Report. It consists of the analysis of stakeholder responses to an online survey and insights shared during four regional workshops, aiming to pinpoint critical gaps in available information on SLR and its potential consequences in European basins, both from a scientific and policy perspective. The analysis was divided into three categories: i) SLR science and information, ii) SLR impacts, and iii) SLR adaptation policies and decision-making. Regarding SLR science and information, many respondents found that significant gaps exist in regional SLR projections and uncertainties, particularly related to long-term SLR induced by potential melting of large icesheets. Interestingly, the perspective on information gaps is different for scientists (emphasizing the need to increase regional projection capabilities) and government users (stressing the availability of accurate projections for their regions). Regarding impacts and hazards, shoreline erosion stands out as a dominant concern in all basins except the Arctic, while emerging issues like saltwater intrusion and the role of SLR in compound risks associated with extreme water levels and river flow were also given significant regional relevance. With regards to policy and decision making, existing adaptation plans are perceived as ineffective and lacking adaptability, with gaps related to underestimated impacts and urban planning. Participants, especially end-users, emphasized the relevance of improved information dissemination and communication to support informed decision-making.

Licence CC-BY
Full Text
File Pages Size Access
Preprint 22 1 MB Open access
Supplement to the preprint 17 977 KB Open access
Top of the page

How to cite 

Jiménez José A. (coord.), Bonaduce Antonio, Depuydt Michael, Galluccio Giulia, Van Den Hirk Bart, Meier H. E. Markus, Pinardi Nadia, Pomarico Lavinia G., Vazquez Riveiros Natalia, Winter Gundula. Sea Level Rise in Europe: knowledge gaps identified through a participatory approach. Scientific synthesis reports and assessments IN PRESS. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2023-34 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00866/97804/