Climate change and spatial development: Adaptation strategies for urban and regional planning in urban coastal zone regions based on the example of the Baltic region (Plan B:altic)

Climate change is occurring and poses risks for the urban regions of the Baltic Sea coast through rising temperature or extreme weather events for example. Climate change scenarios are accompanied with uncertainties, and the specific local consequences of climate change for urban regions of the Baltic Sea Coast are difficult to predict. Early adaptation measures can reduce the impact of potential threats and may even enable the regions to benefit from potential chances of climate change impacts. To achieve a comprehensive analysis of climate change impacts, of their interplays with further ongoing change processes in urban regions and to avoid partial world-views, it is necessary to integrate different scientific disciplines with different perspectives and approaches. Therefore, within the research group plan B:altic, natural, social and planning scientists co-operate intensively. The aim of plan B:altic is to identify and discuss integrative strategies and processes of welfareenhancing, sustainable urban and regional development, explicitly taking into account the uncertainties and knowledge limitations with regards to future local impacts of climate change. (Source: Plan B:altic)