Scientists in Göttingen: New projects to combat sea level rise!

Scientists in Göttingen: New projects to combat sea level rise!

On September 5, 2025, it was announced that Dr. Anggi Hapsari from the University of Göttingen and Dr. Oliver Barnstedt from the European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen has received ambitious funding from the European Research Council (ERC). Dr. Hapsari will receive around 2 million euros for her project “SaLtedPeat”, while Dr. Barnstedt is being funded with around 1.5 million euros for its “LearnMamBo” project. Both projects have a duration of five years and are dedicated to fundamental ecological and neurological questions.

Dr. Hapsari's research focuses on the effects of salinization of tropical coastal peatlands caused by sea level rise. Storm surges and saline seawater pose a significant threat to freshwater ecosystems such as peat bogs. Their previous research shows an alarming connection between historical sea level rise and increased fires in these moors. The aim of “SaLtedPeat” is to examine in detail the effects of salinization on coastal peat bogs and to research the potential increased fire risk.

Alarming sea level forecasts

Dr. Benjamin Grandey, one of the researchers, emphasizes the urgency of combining different projection techniques to better estimate the uncertainties in previous models. These novel approaches highlight the need for decision-makers to align critical infrastructure with future climate change challenges. The effects of global warming are already being felt and pose a serious threat to coastal regions.

Facts about the climate crisis

Climate change has also caused noticeable temperature increases in Germany, with an increase of 1.7 °C from 1881 to 2022, which is 0.6 °C above the global average. About 90% of the additional heat due to climate change is absorbed by the oceans, causing seawater to increase in volume. This is one of the main causes of global sea level rise.

On the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas, sea levels rose between 1.4 and 2.1 mm per year in the 20th century. According to the IPCC assessment report, under the fossil path scenario, sea level rise is expected to be between 0.63 and 1.01 m by the end of the century. Although current trends do not show more frequent or intense storm surges, rising sea levels increase the potential risk from storm surges and floods.

Coastal countries like Schleswig-Holstein are already implementing coastal protection measures to protect infrastructure and lives. State protection dikes with a total length of 433 km protect coastal lowlands from flooding, while unsafe dikes are being strengthened as part of the “climate dike” concept to compensate for sea level rise of up to 2.0 m.

The current developments in climate research and the commitment of scientists like Dr. Hapsari and Dr. Barnstedt illustrate how important well-founded research is in order to effectively address the challenges posed by climate change. The findings from both projects could make a crucial contribution to minimizing the effects of sea level rise and salinization on habitats, while at the same time exploring new therapeutic approaches for dementia.

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