The intensification of extreme coastal events, coastal erosion and sea-level rise under climate change could make living near the coast high-risk. A research study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre projected that deaths caused by extreme weather in Europe could rise from 3,000 a year between 1981 and 2010 to 152,000 between 2071 and 2100 if no actions are taken to mitigate climate change impacts and improve policies to increase the resilience of European coastal cities. The science behind these disruptive phenomena is complex, and advancement in knowledge requires progress in data acquisition and forecasting with the level of detail and timing useful for real-scenario interventions. An Ecosystem-Based Approach (EBA) integrated with smart technologies (e.g., smart sensing and digital twin solutions) has the potential to increase the climate resilience of European coastal cities; however, this approach is not yet adequately understood and coordinated at the European level and therefore does not reach its full potential.
SCORE aims to reduce the impacts of sea-level rise and extreme events due to climate change on European coastal cities and settlements by means of co-designed, co-developed, deployed, tested and demonstrated innovative EBAs, smart technologies and hybrid Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs), while facilitating financial sustainability. SCORE provides scientific evidence for the application of EBAs, and best practices for their design, replication and scalability in the context of smart coastal cities. Furthermore, SCORE promotes technology and innovation to increase climate resilience and, in the process, create European leadership in coastal city climate change adaptation according to the Paris Agreement. SCORE will also help establish integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) framework for implementing EBAs, smart coastal city policies, coastal resilience plans and management, and dynamic adaptation pathways according to local legislation.
