• Energy Research

AbstractThe flood event in July 2021 in the uplands of the Eifel-Ardennes mountains in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands and their foreland was caused by heavy rainfall and resulted in one of the largest flood disasters in Western Europe for decades. Due to climate change, it can be assumed that such events will become more frequent in future. Even though such extreme flood can happen at any time, the consequences and impacts can be significantly reduced by appropriate technical and non-technical measures. However, such measures always require a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of previous events and comparable processes. Therefore, this special issue aims at collecting the scientific evaluation and its implications of the 2021 extreme summer flood. This editorial serves as an introduction for an article collection published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe, providing an overview of the current state of integrative assessment of the 2021 summer flood in Central Europe.

AbstractThe chemical pollution crisis severely threatens human and environmental health globally. To tackle this challenge the establishment of an overarching international science–policy body has recently been suggested. We strongly support this initiative based on the awareness that humanity has already likely left the safe operating space within planetary boundaries for novel entities including chemical pollution. Immediate action is essential and needs to be informed by sound scientific knowledge and data compiled and critically evaluated by an overarching science–policy interface body. Major challenges for such a body are (i) to foster global knowledge production on exposure, impacts and governance going beyond data-rich regions (e.g., Europe and North America), (ii) to cover the entirety of hazardous chemicals, mixtures and wastes, (iii) to follow a one-health perspective considering the risks posed by chemicals and waste on ecosystem and human health, and (iv) to strive for solution-oriented assessments based on systems thinking. Based on multiple evidence on urgent action on a global scale, we call scientists and practitioners to mobilize their scientific networks and to intensify science–policy interaction with national governments to support the negotiations on the establishment of an intergovernmental body based on scientific knowledge explaining the anticipated benefit for human and environmental health.

PLoS one 11(9), e0163862 (2016). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163862 Published by PLoS, Lawrence, Kan.

Seit mehreren Jahrzehnten werden weltweit Sandaufspülungen durchgeführt, die heute entsprechend zu den gängigen Küstenschutzmaßnahmen zählen. Der aktuelle Paradigmenwechsel, hin zu einem Integrierten Küstenzonenmanagement (IKZM) und einem „Ecosystem Approach to Management“ (EAM), erfordert jedoch neue Konzepte, Modelle und Werkzeuge, um Sandaufspülungen nachhaltiger und umweltfreundlicher umzusetzen als bisher. Mit dem interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekt STENCIL sollte ein erster Schritt in Richtung des langfristigen Ziels der Etablierung eines EAM für Sandaufspülungen geleistet werden. Durch die gemeinsame Expertise von Küsteningenieuren, Geologen und Ökologen lieferte das Projekt Werkzeuge und Methoden zur verbesserten Vorhersage der Hydro- und Morphodynamik an der Küste sowie zur Abschätzung der ökologischen Auswirkungen. Weiterhin entstanden wertvolle Datensätze aus Feldmessungen und Laborexperimenten sowie aus der Anwendung analytischer und numerischer Modelle. Dieser Artikel fasst die wesentlichen wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse des Projekts zusammen: die Anwendung Künstlicher Neuronaler Netzwerke (KNN), um Schwächen aktueller hydrodynamisch-numerischer Modelle auszugleichen; die Analyse und Interpretation langfristiger Strandprofildaten mit einer neuen datengetriebenen Methode, die eine bessere Bewertung der morphologischen Entwicklung von Strand- und Vorstrandaufspülungen erlaubt; die Verbesserung eines Sedimenttransportmodells für gemischte Sande, basierend auf einem einzigartigen großmaßstäblichen Modellversuch, der im Rahmen des Projekts im Großen Wellenkanal (GWK) durchgeführt wurde; eine Abschätzung der Auswirkungen von Sandentnahmen vor Sylt, auf Grundlage von sechs umfangreichen Messfahrten zu den Sandentnahmegebieten „Westerland II & III“; sowie die Anwendung hydrotoxikologischer Methoden zur Bestimmung des Einflusses von Sandentnahmen auf die chemisch-physikalischen Wasserqualitätsparameter und auf das öko¬toxikologische Potential. Diese interdisziplinären Projektergebnisse wurden mit einer umfangreichen Studie zum aktuellen Stand von Wissenschaft und Technik kombiniert und in einer SWOT-Analyse für Sandaufspülungen zusammengefasst, welche eine Entscheidungsunterstützung für die Praxis und eine Grundlage für zukünftige Forschungsprojekte darstellt. Shore nourishments have been carried out worldwide for several decades and are nowadays seen as an almost routine coastal protection measure. However, the recent paradigm shift to an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and to an Ecosystem Approach to Management (EAM) requires new concepts, models and tools for the implementation of more sustainable and environmentally friendly shore nourishments. The interdisciplinary research project STENCIL aimed at making a first step towards the long-term goal of establishing an EAM for shore nourishments. Joining the expertise of coastal engineers, geologists and ecologists, the project has provided improved tools and methods for the prediction of coastal hydro- and morphodynamics and related ecological impacts. A combination of field measurements, laboratory experiments and analytical as well as numerical models has resulted in valuable new data sets. This paper summarizes the most important scientific outcomes of the project, like the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to overcome weaknesses of current hydrodynamic numerical modelling tools; the analysis and interpretation of long-term beach profile data using a newly developed data-driven methodology, allowing for a better assessment of the morphological development of beach and foreshore nourishments; the improvement of a sediment transport model for mixed sand based on a unique large-scale experiment in the Large Wave Flume (GWK) carried out within the project; an impact assessment of dredging activities around Sylt, based on six extensive survey cruises at the sand extraction sites “Westerland II & III”; and the application of the hydrotoxicology method for the same study site to determine the influence of sand extraction on chemical-physical water quality parameters and the ecotoxicological potential. These interdisciplinary project results were combined with a comprehensive state of the art review in a SWOT analysis for shore nourishments, which shall provide a tool for decision-makers and a basis for upcoming research projects addressing the identified knowledge gaps. coastal protection, shore nourishment, coastal zone management, sustainability, environmental impacts, ecosystem approach Küstenschutz, Sandaufspülung, Küstenzonenmanagement, Nachhaltigkeit, Umweltverträglichkeit, Ökosystemansatz

PLoS one 12(3), e0174384 (2017). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0174384 Published by PLoS, Lawrence, Kan.