Spatial Reconnaissance: Technical Report ComCoast

Abstract

ComCoast (Combined Functions in Coastal Defence Zones) is an INTERREG IIIB project funded by the EU. ComCoast aims to develop and demonstrate innovative solutions for flood protection in coastal areas. In ComCoast, five countries from the North Sea Region are involved: Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. In total, ten partners constitute the project consortium. Climate change cause already increasing physical load on coastal defence along the North Sea. Over the next decades, problems will arise through the need of adapting the existing coastal defence structures to modified conditions of coastal development, e.g. nature conservation areas, limited budgets, or changing social pretensions. New approaches emphasizing a gradual transition from sea to land are being explored in order to incorporate land use management with regard to the increasing pressure from population growth. These transitional areas will offer new opportunities both to the environment and to the people. In the ComCoast project, the need to develop new sustainable flood management strategies will be recognised in order to influence planners to anticipate future developments. Work Package 1 is one of the six Work Packages of the ComCoast project. Work Package 1 aims to identify feasible ComCoast areas along the southern North Sea. Work Package 2 explores new socio-economic evaluation methods for the ComCoast concept. The design and development of alternative embankments and strategies for coastal defence zones are worked out in Work Package 3. Work Package 4 deals with new and innovative participation strategies to involve stakeholders in the development process of ComCoast concepts. This technical report gives a short overview about the activities of Work Package 1 from Mai 2004 until Mai 2005.Technology, Policy and Management, Civil Engineering and Geoscience