Project description
A closer look at the interactions between atmosphere, ocean and ice sheets
Sea level rise (SLR) due to climate change is a serious global threat that can result in land ice loss and ocean thermal expansion. It also results in catastrophic consequences for the future of coastal regions. As land ice contribution is increasing, policymakers are concerned about the threats ice sheet change represents. The EU-funded PROTECT project will drive SLR projections beyond the state of the art and provide a long-standing scientific and social contribution. It will significantly improve our understanding and model representation of ice sheet processes and offer a new approach in modelling the interactions between atmosphere, ocean and ice sheets. PROTECT will also improve the strength of the resulting SLR projections, envision the future social impact of SLR and train the next generation of sea level scientists.
Objective
Sea-level rise (SLR) is one of the most damaging impacts of climate change, threatening the economy, ecology, and entire existence of coastal regions worldwide. Global-mean sea level has risen by ~8 cm since 1992, with land ice loss and ocean thermal expansion contributing equally. However, the land ice contribution is accelerating, and future SLR is set to become dominated by the highly uncertain behaviour of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. The potential for rapid collapse of these ice sheets, which may already be underway, has made policymakers painfully aware of humanity’s vulnerability to ice-sheet change. PROTECT will push SLR projections beyond the state-of-the-art and have a long-standing scientific and societal impact by (i) significantly improving our understanding and model representation of ice-sheet processes, (ii) providing a step change in modelling the interactions and feedbacks between atmosphere, ocean, and ice sheets, (iii) improving the robustness of the resulting SLR projections, with a clear propagation of uncertainties from global to regional scales, (iv) assessing the societal implications of high-end ice-sheet SLR over decades to centuries, (v) developing and mentoring the next generation of sea-level scientists. Recognizing that developing climate services for coastal adaptation is an iterative process, PROTECT will engage stakeholder knowledge from key EU states vulnerable to SLR, as well as communities from low-lying islands and the Arctic. PROTECT unifies world-leading European experts in cryospheric and climate science, sea-level change, and coastal and societal impacts. This highly interdisciplinary consortium will cover, for the first time, all relevant spatial and temporal scales governing SLR from land ice. PROTECT will provide a solid evidence base needed to implement measures addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, the European Union Adaptation Strategy, and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
75794 Paris
France
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Participants (27)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
38058 Grenoble
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28359 Bremen
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8006 Zurich
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3526 KV Utrecht
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SN2 1FL Swindon
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10178 Berlin
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45060 Orleans
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14473 Potsdam
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3584 CS Utrecht
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1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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LS2 9JT Leeds
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BS8 1QU Bristol
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2100 KOBENHAVN
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1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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4000 Liege
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WC2R 2LS London
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SA2 8PP Swansea
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3900 Nuuk
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8092 Zuerich
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NE1 8ST Newcastle Upon Tyne
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2800 Kongens Lyngby
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27570 Bremerhaven
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20392 Male
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2628 CN Delft
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3731 GA De Bilt
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NR4 7TJ Norwich
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5838 Bergen
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