- Theme
- European Atlas of the Seas
In November 2025, the world turned its eyes to Belém (Brazil) as the United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP30 - convened under the banner of “implementation”—shifting the global dialogue from high ambitions to concrete actions. The “Belém Political Package” endorsed at COP30 reaffirmed the long-term goal of limiting warming to well below 2°C, ideally 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, and underscored that the transition to a low-emissions, climate-resilient future is “irreversible” [1].
COP30 achieved progress in several areas: negotiators agreed to triple climate adaptation finance for vulnerable nations, launched new mechanisms to scale up mitigation and adaptation funding, and advanced initiatives targeting renewable energy, clean technology deployment, and nature-based climate solutions—including forest protection and coastal resilience [2, 3].
As global leaders reinforce their commitment to adaptation, the realities of a warming world are already reshaping our shorelines. The Map of the Week highlights coastline shifts—changes that underscore the urgency articulated in the Belém Political Package. Both coastal erosion and accretion are being intensified by climate change, as rising seas, stronger storms, and altered sediment dynamics accelerate the movement of coastlines [4]. The map identifies areas of landward migration (erosion or submergence), stability, and seaward migration (accretion or emergence) at different spatial scales, providing clear insight into one of Europe’s most visible climate-change effects. Monitoring these coastal dynamics is essential not only for understanding long-term environmental patterns but also for supporting evidence-based Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). Explore the map closely, it offers a powerful reminder that climate impacts are actively redefining the boundaries between land and sea. Understanding where and how these shifts are occurring is essential for building resilient coastal communities and ecosystems.
Wish to learn more and to engage?
- Read more on COP30 outcomes, for example, review the Global Climate Action Agenda at COP 30 outcome report; the key decisions outlined in the Belém Political Package; or the IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) analysis, which provides a detailed, independent breakdown of what COP30 achieved and where gaps remain.
- Learn about the European Union’s ongoing climate commitments, including those reaffirmed at COP30.
- Explore local coastline data through the EMODnet Map Viewer (have a look at the EMODnet Geology section of the catalogue), where satellite observations and in-situ measurements on coastal migration can be accessed and downloaded. Also check satellite-data portals such as the Copernicus Coastal Hub, which provides continuously updated information from Copernicus Services and Sentinel satellites to help you understand changes occurring along nearby shorelines.
- Support nature-based coastal protection, such as dune restoration, salt-marsh conservation, mangrove planting, or seagrass restoration, all of which enhance long-term coastal resilience.
- Advocate for evidence-based coastal planning, joining local consultations and supporting policies aligned with Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
The data in the map is provided by EMODnet.
[1] https://www.undp.org/ghana/blog/turning-climate-commitments-action-closing-gap-irreversible-change
[2] https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/11/1166433
[4] https://www.undrr.org/understanding-disaster-risk/terminology/hips/gh0405