Preface	7
	Contents	8
	List of Figures	11
	List of Tables	14
	1 Introduction	15
	Aim, Context and Guiding Questions	15
	Structure of the Dissertation	17
	Methodological Approaches	19
	2 Background Information -- Nature and Society	21
	The Natural Environment of the North Sea Coastal Zones	21
	Basic Information	21
	Landscapes and Important Areas	23
	Sea Level Curves and the Flood-prone Areas	35
	Sea Level Curves	35
	Todays Flood-prone Areas	36
	Service for Society: Coastal Protection	38
	Retrospective -- Coastal Protection until Yesterday	38
	The Consequences of the Storm Surges in 1953 and in 1962	40
	Protection Against Flooding -- Today's Concept	43
	Lower Saxony	43
	The Netherlands	47
	Outlook	48
	3 New Insights -- Varying Circumstances and New Frameworks	50
	Climate Change and Consequences	50
	IPCC -- Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)	51
	The European Dimension	53
	Possible Effects of Climate Change in Germany	55
	Regional Vulnerability and Sectoral Perspectives	61
	Sustainable Development and Integrated Management	63
	The International Perspective	65
	The European Perspective	66
	National Strategy on ICZM in Germany	69
	Addressing (Flood) Risk Management	70
	Risk, Uncertainty and Vulnerability	70
	Risk Perception	75
	Risk Communication	76
	Integrated Risk Management Approach	79
	New Safety Needs -- Demands for Action	84
	Safety Demands in Germany	84
	Safety Demands in The Netherlands	85
	Looking Back and Forward	88
	4 Anticipating the Future -- Available Tools and Instruments	91
	Legal Processes -- Consultation and Cooperation	92
	Relevant Instruments	92
	Potentials and Challenges for Coastal Protection Zones	102
	Participatory Action -- Involving the Coastal Society	107
	Participation Approaches -- Retrospective	107
	Barriers to Participation	110
	Assessing the Future -- Scenarios and Evaluation	116
	Scenarios	116
	Assessment Frameworks	119
	Outranking of Scenarios -- Background	124
	Cooperation for the Future -- Participatory IntegratedAssessment	129
	Framework for Implementation	131
	5 Sound Options -- Multifunctional Coastal Protection Zones	134
	Spatial Coastal Protection Concept	134
	Definition of Coastal Protection Zones	134
	Proposed Solutions of the ComCoast Project	139
	Results of the Case Study Nessmersiel -- Achieving Multifunctionality	140
	Identification of Sites	140
	Description of the Site	143
	Design of the Participation Process	145
	Design Elements, Geographic Information System and Scoring Matrix	148
	Results of the Process	153
	Single and Group Decision-Making Process	164
	Lessons Learned -- Participatory Integrated Assessment	169
	The Scoring Matrix -- Catalyst for a Desired World?	173
	A Vision for the Future -- What About the Adaptability?	174
	6 Looking Ahead -- A Sustainable Process	176
	Progress Through Adaptation	177
	Practice Integrated Coastal Zone Management	178
	Outcome -- Options of Multifunctional Coastal Protection Zones	180
	Final Remarks	182
	7 Summaries	183
	Summary	183
	Zusammenfassung	185
	8 References	196
	A Legal Instruments Related to Multifunctional Coastal Protection Zones	213
	Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)	213
	Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)	214
	Water Framework Directive (WFD)	215
	Flood Risk Management Directive (FRMD)	215
	Birds Directive	217
	Habitats Directive	217
	Law on Water Management of Lower Saxony (NWG)	218
	B European Case Studies	219
	Case Study Abbotts Hall (UK)	219
	Description of the Setting and the Process	219
	Results of the Participation Process in Abbotts Hall	220
	Case Study Wallasea Wetland Creation (UK)	222
	Steps to Identify a Feasible Site	222
	Wallasea Island Today	224
	Case Study Perkpolder (NL)	225
	Description of the Setting and the Process	225
	Results of the Participation Process	226
	Index	227