The Swedish embassy in Berlin hosted a Dinner on June 15, 2011 for the Participants of the international workshop "Regional availability of climate knowledge in the Baltic Sea" at the Nordic Embassies. In his opening address, the deputy head of the Swedish Embassy – Torbjörn Haak – confirmed the interest of his country in the topic and pointed out the work of the Baltic Sea Council, where Germany will succeed Norway in the presidency in July this year.

Grit Martinez from the Ecologic Institute said in her speech, that there would be no better place to conclude a vibrant day of discussions. Similar to the Baltic Sea Council, the aim of the workshop was to foster the communication and understanding between the users of climate knowledge and the scientists that produce climate knowledge for the Baltic Sea region. 

In his key-note Speech, Prof. Hans von Storch from the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht, referred to the post normality of climate change. According to today’s existing knowledge, climate change has to been seen as a reality. This fact is also backed up by questionnaires among climate scientists. However, public perception about this issue is declining continuously. Climate change therefore is not only a scientific fact, but also a social construct. Post normal becomes the issue, because climate science merges with climate politics. Therefore it is necessary, so von Storch concludes, to communicate the perceptions of climate scientists in a transparent and understandable way to the interested public. The task is the main work of the regional Climate Service Centers.

Further link:

• Ecologic Institute Event: Workshop on regional availability of climate knowledge in the Baltic Sea
• Ecologic Institute Project: Regional Adaptation Strategies for the German Baltic Sea Coast (RADOST)
• Ecologic Institute Publication: Emerging Climate Change Coastal Adaptation Strategies and Case Studies around the World
• Embassy of Sweden in Berlin

Keywords: climate change, adaptation, regional adaptation strategies, maritime economy, coastal protection, Baltic Coastline, climate data, knowledge transfer