Actionable knowledge for greater coastal safety: Annual meeting of the DAM research mission mareXtreme on risk assessment of marine natural hazards
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
2nd meeting of the DAM research mission mareXtreme
08.09.2025/Bremerhaven
Since the beginning of 2024, the German Alliance for Marine Research (DAM) research mission mareXtreme has been investigating pathways to improve risk management for marine hazards that are increasing in frequency and intensity: heat waves, storm surges, earthquakes, and tsunamis, as well as biological and chemical changes that affect ecosystems and coastlines. From September 3 to 5, 2025, around 100 researchers from the mission gathered at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven to take stock of the results of the first 20 months.
The DAM research mission mareXtreme is divided into four joint projects: ElbeXtreme, METAscales, MULTI-MAREX, and PrimePrevention, which investigate the dangers posed by geological, biological, oceanographic, and meteorological natural events from different perspectives. These projects, which investigate a wide variety of extreme events such as storm surges and their destructive consequences on the northern German coast but also natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Aegean Sea, could hardly be more different. Nevertheless, these events often have far-reaching and similar effects on the regions affected: they disrupt ecosystems and have a massive impact on coastal life. Comprehensive research into the causal links between extreme events and their effects, as well as the challenges of improving risk management, is therefore crucial to strengthening the resilience of humans and nature. Despite the strong differences between the extreme events studied, they often require similar protective measures. The focus of the three-day mission meeting was therefore to promote exchange between the four joint projects, create synergies between them, and define cross-cutting tasks. With a spectrum of expertise in the social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences, the scientists also discussed on site how the action-oriented knowledge developed in the mission can be made available to the population and authorities in a sustainable way.
Sustainable coastal protection through transdisciplinary research and cooperation
As different as the individual marine natural hazards may be, the mechanisms that need to be established to protect the coasts are similar. These can be technological solutions such as an early warning system consisting of various measuring instruments, but also training courses and exercises in disaster management, or ideally a combination of both. Since scientists from very different disciplines are working together in the research mission, marine technology is being developed that uses data in computational models for risk assessment, while society is also being directly integrated and the relevant authorities involved.
The overarching goal of the mareXtreme mission, which is funded by the federal government and the science ministries of the five northern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein, is to develop ways for society to adapt sustainably to extreme marine events, which are increasing in number and severity due to human-induced climate change. The mission places particular emphasis on establishing real-world laboratories: interfaces between science and practice that test innovative approaches to risk management in coastal regions and, in particular, promote direct cooperation between residents, politicians, and industry. The mission's researchers work closely with local stakeholders in selected communities in Greece and on the German coast.
The representatives of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR), its project management agency, and the DAM who were present at the event emphasized the importance of close, transdisciplinary cooperation and its long-term support: The knowledge-based approach creates improved conditions for building a solid foundation for coastal protection and risk management from forward-looking solutions.
Background:
German Alliance for Marine Research (DAM):
The German Marine Research Alliance (DAM) brings together 25 leading German marine research institutions with the aim of strengthening the sustainable management of coasts, seas, and oceans through research, transfer, data management, digitization, and infrastructure. To this end, the DAM works with its member institutions to develop solution-oriented knowledge and communicate options for action in politics, business, and civil society. It is funded by the federal government and the northern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein.
3. DAM Research mission Pathways to improve risk management in the field of extreme marine events and natural hazards (mareXtreme)
In the DAM research mission “Pathways to improve risk management in the field of marine extreme events and natural hazards,” short title mareXtreme, around 150 scientists from 29 partner organizations are researching how to deal with the interactions between short-term multiple and cascading extreme events and natural hazards, as well as their long-term effects on marine ecosystems and coastal communities. The aim of mareXtreme is to significantly improve the predictability of marine extreme events and natural hazards, support the sustainable development of coastal communities, and strengthen the resilience of coastal societies. Four joint projects are linked by three overarching themes (extremes, early warning systems, real-world laboratories) in order to generate added value as a mission.
Links:
Website of the mareXtreme research mission
DAM website
Materials:
Group photo 04.09.2025, Bremerhaven (credit: Felix Gross, Univ. Kiel)
Comments