Germany’s northern coast threatened by rising sea levels

On Germany’s northern coast, the rising levels of the North Sea pose a threat to nearby communities and ecosystems. Encroaching sea water impacts not only sites along the shore, but also those further away by affecting farmland and habitats located more inland.

In the village of Harlesiel, as in many places along the shore, sea dikes are being built to protect the area from coastal erosion. The dimensions of the dikes are calculated based on predicted sea levels one century in the future, and work to protect the homes of over one million people in the German state of Lower Saxony.

The villages of Harlesiel and Schillig, along the northern coast of Germany, are visible in this image acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 20 July 2024. 

The Copernicus Coastal Hub is an essential resource for Earth Observation data on European coastal zones. Its value-added information is useful for supporting sustainable management of these important areas.

Source:

Copernicus. (2024, November 4). Germany’s northern coast threatened by rising sea levels. Image of the Day.