Improved modelling of the environmental impact of land-based pollution and multi-use operations in the North Sea.

The coastal zone is heavily impacted by the increasing number of human activities, which degrade the marine environment and challenge the coexistence of coastal activities. To address these challenges,  it is essential to strengthen the integration between Copernicus Marine Services and EU member state coastal systems to better understand the human-induced environmental impacts. The Horizon Europe FOCCUS project (Forecasting and Observing the Open-to-Coastal Ocean for Copernicus Users) aims to improve this integration by enhancing: in-situ and satellite coastal observations, hydrological and land-ocean products, and interfacing between ocean and coastal models. In this study, we demonstrate the efficacy of these advancements through two applications of the Dutch Continental Shelf Model (DCSM), a Delft3D Flexible Mesh model of the North Sea.

The first application focuses on far-field pollution mapping, caused by human activities such as dredging and land-based pollution. Within the existing DCSM, the transport of sediment and pollutants is refined through three adjustments: (i) incorporation of higher resolution remote sensing products, (ii) improved biogeochemical coupling with Copernicus Marine products and (iii) the use of enhanced pan-European hydrologic and land-ocean products. The resulting state-of-the-art pollution risk maps of sub-kilometre scale, with multi-year temporal coverage, will aid in monitoring the status of the marine environment, in support of the Marine Strategy Framework Directives and Sustainable Development Goal 14.1, which targets the reduction of marine pollution. The second coastal application assesses the environmental effects of multi-use offshore operations. The relevant biogeochemical and dynamic energy budget processes for aquaculture will be improved and incorporated into the aforementioned far-field pollution model. The modelled environmental impacts of multi-use operations can serve as a decision support tool for stakeholders involved in aquaculture, offshore energy and marine spatial planning in the North Sea. Such an interface provides scientific information on the coexistence of coastal activities, the core of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive.

Through these applications we demonstrate the benefits of improved integration between EU Copernicus Marine services and the Dutch Member State Coastal System in characterising the environmental impacts of anthropogenic stressors on coastal and marine ecosystems, ultimately supporting sustainable and fair management practices.

FOCCUS is funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement No. 101133911). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.