Understanding regional sea level change and its impacts on societies requires new forms of integrated research between natural and social sciences. The Priority Program (SPP-1889) ‘Regional Sea Level Change and Society (SeaLevel)’, funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) performs a comprehensive, interdisciplinary analysis to advance our knowledge on regional, climate-related sea level change, while taking into account the associated human-environment interactions and socio-economic developments in the coastal zone.

SeaLevel focuses on two study regions: the North and Baltic Seas with potential impacts on Germany, and the South-East Asia region, which encompasses several coastal megacities, low-lying islands and delta regions. These regions contrast developed and developing countries, and thus differ fundamentally in their societal impact, cultural and socio-politico-economic contexts, adaptation potential and response strategies towards sea level change.

Developing successful strategies to cope with sea level change in these two regions largely depends on advancing our understanding of processes influencing regional sea level, available scientific information on sea level change at the coastlines and their uncertainty, available resources and economic power, and on adequate planning and effective local governance structures.

> read more about the objectives of the SPP-1889 SeaLevel program

SeaLevel consists of 20 projects from 23 German research institutions, bringing together over 80 scientists from a wide range of disciplines, such as physical oceanography, geophysics, geodesy, hydrology, marine geology, coastal engineering, geography, sociology, economics and environmental management.

SeaLevel is organized along  three work packages (WP), which interact with each other to create a scientific base for quantitative, integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) studies both in the study regions, but also applicable to many other endangered places globally.