From September 4 to 6, 2024, about 100 researchers gathered at the University of Bremen for the official launch of the mareXtreme research mission of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM). The goal of the meeting was to network, explore joint research approaches and create synergies for future collaboration. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the five northern German states for an initial period of three years, the mission brings together social, engineering, and natural sciences in four collaborative projects to study extreme marine events and develop effective mitigation and management strategies. The IOW contributes to two of these four projects.

The four collaborative projects – ElbeXtreme, METAscales, MULTI-MAREX, and PrimePrevention – provided the thematic framework for presentations and discussions at the three-day kick-off meeting. Alongside insights into the current state of research, participants addressed key cross-cutting topics, including standardized data management and modelling as the foundation for developing early warning systems. Furthermore, a particular focus was placed on the proposed establishment of “living labs” as an innovative form of collaboration between science and civil society. Designed as interfaces between researchers and key local stakeholders – including residents, policymakers, and representatives from administration and business – these labs aim at facilitating the direct testing of innovative risk management approaches in coastal regions.

mareXtreme – Background
The DAM research mission “Paths to improved risk management in the area of marine extreme events and natural hazards”, or mareXtreme for short, involves around 150 scientists from 29 partner organizations investigating extreme marine events and natural hazards, along with possible strategies to mitigate their impacts. These events – including storm surges, floods, heatwaves, droughts and geophysical hazards such as volcanic eruptions and seaquakes – pose significant risks to coastal ecosystems and communities. Therefore, in-depth research into their underlying mechanisms and the advancement of risk management strategies are crucial to enhancing the resilience of both human populations and the natural environment. The aim of mareXtreme is therefore to significantly improve the predictability of extreme marine events and natural hazards, to support the sustainable development of coastal communities and to strengthen the resilience of coastal society. Further information can be found at: www.marextreme.de/en

The IOW is involved in the mareXtreme collaborative projects PrimePrevention, which focuses on the prediction of marine biological hazards in the Baltic Sea to prevent socio-economic impacts, and ElbeXtreme, which explores the monitoring and modelling of extreme events in the Elbe estuary and the German Bight.