On 4 July 2024, an expert dialog on nature-based coastal protection will take place at Ecologic Institute in Berlin. This event is intended to foster cross-sector dialogues between experts from different fields and thus contribute to the further development of nature-based coastal protection in order to meet the challenges of climate change and protect biodiversity in coastal regions. The expert dialog will be held as part of the MEER:STARK project, and a preliminary agenda can be found here.

Program overview

The expert dialog will start in hybrid form and, after a lecture-based introduction, switch to a dialog for the participants. After the welcome to the workshop, various projects and initiatives on nature-based coastal protection will be presented by experts.

In addition, it is still possible to take part in a survey within the MEER:STARK project. The aim is to gain insights from various stakeholders on the topic of climate change adaptation and marine protection. You can find the survey here. The results of the survey will be presented at the expert dialog by Nico Stelljes and Fenja Kroos.

Gregory Fuchs will also provide insights into the link between climate adaptation and marine protection. In a discussion round with feedback from the online participants, relevant questions and aspects for the following discussion rounds will be identified. This concludes the morning and thus also the hybrid part of the event.

After a short break, the expert dialog will continue in a purely face-to-face event and the focus will then be on discussion and exchange between the participants in the form of keynote speeches and an interactive World Café.

Discussion points and objectives

The central aim of the event is to strengthen the network between stakeholders and deepen understanding of the role of local actors in coastal protection. It will be discussed how cooperation between different stakeholders can be improved and how the public can be more comprehensively informed about these issues.

The event will conclude with an expert panel discussion, moderated by Nico Stelljes, to reflect on the outcomes of the day.