North Sea

The North Sea pilot showcases the intersection of land and sea in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

Space is scarce and in high demand for different use. Wind farms producing renewable energy are consuming increasingly large areas offshore. Ports which are important infrastructure and transport gateways to Europe are being further developed along the coast. In between lie precious ecosystems protected by EU legislation.

The race for space in the North Sea, combined with climate change, is expected to worsen multiple hazard interactions. Examples include more frequent and extreme storms that damage onshore infrastructure, flooding due to storm surges and increased rainfall, or higher temperatures that can increase algal blooms.

Disaster risk management for single hazards or sectors already exists in the region. But trade-offs between the demand for the use of space in the North Sea historically have rarely been assessed in a multi-sectoral way, which has hampered long-term risk management within and between the sectors. MYRIAD-EU will develop the first multi-hazard and multi-sector pathway for the region, identifying trade-offs and synergies for the energy, infrastructure and transport, and ecosystems sectors.

The North Sea pilot contributes to the EU’s maritime spatial planning (MSP) directive, which aims to promote sustainable development and multi-purpose use.