In January 2024, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and The Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement sets the stage for GERICS and FEE to exchange their knowledge and experience, and ultimately develop joint initiatives on climate action at local, national, and international scales.
GERICS is an independent scientific organizational entity of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. Based in Hamburg, Germany, the interdisciplinary team of GERICS focuses on developing scientifically based prototype products and services to support decision-makers in politics, business, and public administration with climate change adaptation.
Blue Flag is one of five programmes operated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The iconic Blue Flag award recognises beaches, marinas, and boating tourism operators that comply with a stringent set of criteria regarding sustainability, safety, accessibility, and educational activity.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed between FEE and GERICS will play a crucial role for both parties in pursuing their common strategic objectives connected with climate change education. By mutual acknowledgement and promotion, the new partners will support and encourage each other’s activities related to climate-sustainable beach and coastal tourism management, as well as the co-development of adapted climate services.
FEE’s Blue Flag programme acts as a catalyst and hub to enable the carry-out of numerous research activities and projects towards climate action. Blue Flag’s management and educational expertise will also be shared to create new opportunities for diverse initiatives and to facilitate their implementation process. GERICS will offer its expert scientific assistance to FEE, particularly to the Blue Flag programme, to consult on and support the evidence-based planning and management of the Blue Flag awarded sites. GERICS’ participation in this collaboration will also pave the way for further development of climate services and multiple climate-relevant scientific outputs.
FEE and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, the governing organisation of GERICS, have already enjoyed a fruitful partnership with the launch of the Beach-SOS project funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region. Inaugurated in August 2023, the Hereon-led initiative addresses challenges related to the adaptation of sustainable practices by regional coastal tourism management units. With FEE as an associated project partner, the Beach-SOS project aims to enhance the capabilities of local governments, Blue Flag beaches, coastal tourism businesses, business support units, NGOs, and coastal communities to become ‘climate-smart’. The initiative seeks to provide beach management units with the best available climate change data and information, considered essential for developing and implementing an effective adaptation strategy.
With the establishment of common objectives, both organisations seek to actively contribute to the sustainable development of coastal management in its environmental dimensions, in respect of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 13 ‘Climate Action’, as well as FEE’s strategic plan GAIA 20:30.