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Climate change threatens Lower Saxony: Experts call for coastal retreat!
Researchers warn of climate fluxes in Lower Saxony. Adaptation measures and the establishment of a climate council are planned.
Climate change threatens Lower Saxony: Experts call for coastal retreat!
The debate about climate change and its fatal consequences is becoming increasingly explosive in Lower Saxony. Researchers warn urgently about the impending floods that could hit the country and speak of massive dangers that lie ahead for the coastal regions. According to the scientists, Lower Saxony is one of the most affected regions in Europe, with around 14% of the country's area and the entire 618 kilometer long North Sea coastline under immediate threat. Around 1.1 million people live there and are at great risk from rising sea levels. These alarming facts are addressed in a current report in the Kreiszeitung, which points to the need for measures to protect people and their health, while a climate appeal from the German Meteorological Society (DMG) and the German Physical Society (DPG) urgently calls on politicians to think about withdrawing from risk zones.
What exactly does this initiative demand? A comprehensive 10-point catalog was presented to address the “real threat to the continued existence of human civilization.” The central measures include the drastic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which is to be carried out in various sectors. Raising the dykes by around two meters in order to convert them to climate dykes is also part of Lower Saxony's long-term strategy. However, Environment Minister Christian Meyer made it clear that there are currently no considerations about abandoning entire coastal areas or tearing down dikes. That shouldn't be the way yet, even if the challenges are enormous.
The Climate Council and other measures
The discussion also focuses on the establishment of a climate council in Lower Saxony, which is on the state cabinet's agenda in November. This council will consist of six representatives of science and nine members of various associations, supplemented by a citizens' council. This shows that the state government is taking the issue seriously and wants to use a broader basis for decisions. The Climate Council is intended to help coordinate strategic measures and develop implementable solutions.
The debate over relocation of coastal communities is high on the agenda, with experts discussing the best course of action to prevent future disasters. The challenge is great, but it remains to be seen whether politicians and the population are prepared to take the necessary steps to protect the coastal regions and find manageable solutions.