Restoring Europe’s coastal regions
In Brest, we have implemented artificial reefs for new oysters to grow, while in the Arctic, we’ve built a barrier to prevent coastal erosion from the melting of the permafrost.
Ida Beathe Øverjordet, CLIMAREST project coordinator
Coastal ecosystems are among the most vital habitats on Earth. However, these delicate structures are under threat from a range of natural and anthropogenic forces, including climate change, pollution and habitat destruction. The EU-funded CLIMAREST project is addressing this problem by focusing on restoration and protection. Project coordinator, Ida Beathe Øverjordet, explains: “We want to encourage the restoration of marine environments at scale, and to put together protocols and procedures that will enable coastal communities to be more resilient.” CLIMAREST brings together 18 partner organisations with one goal: to integrate techniques and approaches that will enhance coastal restoration across Europe. At the heart of the project lies the development of tools and protocols that will connect research findings to relevant stakeholders. These will also better equip policymakers at EU level with the necessary knowledge to enact and sustain coastal restoration plans. The project also aims to demonstrate effective restoration actions across five demonstration sites, spanning the entire length of the European coastline: from the Arctic region of Svalbard to the shores of Madeira, encompassing a range of diverse coastal ecosystems. This gives CLIMAREST the ability to address the unique challenges and opportunities specific to each coastal area, and tailor restoration strategies accordingly. The team is implementing the following solutions at its five pilot locations. Sea urchin control has been implemented in Madeira, while protocols for restocking the European lobster population have been established in Spain. Seagrass meadows in Ireland are serving as crucial testing grounds for transplanted species. “In Brest, we have implemented artificial reefs for new oysters to grow,” notes Øverjordet. “While in the Arctic, we’ve built a barrier to prevent coastal erosion from the melting of the permafrost.” These methods and strategies will be applied to other locations in the EU with comparable coastal conditions, to validate their ability to be adapted and reproduced at scale. Ultimately, CLIMAREST is contributing to the preservation of crucial habitats, improving marine restoration and providing a more resilient future for European coastal ecosystems and communities.
Keywords
blue carbon, ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus, climate mitigation and adaptation, natural carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, functional ecology, maritime spatial planning, ecosystem-based approach