Kturner'blog

  The German Coast extends over 3700 km on both the North (1600 km) and Baltic Seas (2100 km).  According to the website, Climate Change Post along the coast large low-lying areas are already threatened by recurring storm flood events and erosion. Accelerated sea-level rise therefore exacerbates a high risk situation. Two-thirds of the 3,700 km coastline are eroding. The German coastline is mainly shallow and therefore are comprised of marsh, dune coast, or beach wall, while 11% of the coast (420 km) is steep. On the Baltic, more than half of the coastline belongs to the so-called Bodden Coast, Bodden in German translates to 'Shallow bays' and inlets cut off from the open Baltic Sea by islands, peninsulas, and narrow spits.      According to IPCC estimates global sea levels will accelerate significantly in the upcoming decades, increasing to three to four times the current rate by 2100. In researching the Think  Hazard information it is estimated for sea ...

  This week I will be discussing the risk pertaining to extreme heat. Germany's extreme heat risk overall is rated as medium . The area of the country that is at the highest risk is the south-western part. According to the web-site Think Hazard , there is more than a 25% chance that at least one period of prolonged exposure to extreme heat, resulting in heat stress, will occur in the next five years.   In Germany from 2014-2018 there was a multi year drought, this was especially a drought of the soil. It was not due to precipitation deficits but due to high temperatures that increased evaporation of soil moisture. The soil moisture drought severity followed the same spatial pattern as that of the temperature anomalies according to the Climate Change Post web-site. MITIGATION: The German Government has instituted Heat Management protocols which includes technological adaptation, building design and/or changing working practices. It is their position that certain infrastru...