Within the FutureMARES project, Deltares will use a 3D model representing the water levels and flows, as well as water quality and ecology in the North Sea to predict the effects of large-scale cultivation of seaweed and mussels and native flat oyster restoration. This will be done for different future scenarios of combined socio-economic and climate changes, up to 2100. The results will help evaluating if these activities are viable in such contexts, what their effects will be on the North Sea ecology and if/how they can help adapting to- or mitigating climate change.

An integrated flood risk modelling framework was developed to determine how climate change and sea level rise will influence typhoon flood risk in Shanghai, and resulting damages to residents, businesses, and industries, as well as to investigate the effect of proposed infrastructure and adaptation measures on the reduction of this flood risk. The team found that flood risk increases in general due to sea level rise, while the geographic location of heaviest flood risk moves northward as typhoon tracks shift. This leads to a shift in risk distribution between domestic vs. foreign-owned businesses due to their geographic settings.

The Wadden Sea is currently an unsustainable system in the face of sea-level rise, whereas it could be sustainable with sufficient land-sea transition zones instead of total reliance on sea dikes. This project will develop a trilateral action plan for land-sea transition zones based on a synthesis of existing research on sediment dynamics, sea-level rise, and coastal adaptation measures, and develop nature-based future scenarios that include assessment of the social acceptability to administrations, local citizens, and stakeholders. We are creating a think tank of experts from different disciplines to generate knowledge for local to regional policy and management advice.

CONNEXION identifies and addresses critical connections between water management and human health in the Inkomati-Usuthu water management area (South Africa). We combine disease and water-energy-food (WEF) interaction models to better understand these connections. We visualise results in a dashboard for decision making, supporting WEF and health managers in their policy and daily practice. Our consortium includes a broad team of researchers and practitioners in WEF, nutrition, and infectious diseases, who will work together with various local stakeholders to co-create potential scenarios and recommendations. CONNEXION will contribute to improved resilience, community livelihoods, health, and wellbeing in the research area and beyond.