The PROTECT project, funded by the European Commission (H2020) has started. It is coordinated by G. Durand (IGE-CNRS) and involves 26 partners from France (IGE-CNRS, BRGM), Germany (U. Bremen, GCF, PIK, AWI), Switzerland (U. Zurich, ETHZ), the Netherlands (NIOZ, U. Utrecht, TUD, KNMI), UK (UKRI-BAS, U. Leeds, U. Bristol, KCL, U. Swansea, UNN, UEA), Belgium (ULB, VUB, U. Liège), Denmark (DMI, DTU), Greenland (ASIAQ), Maldives (Min. Housing & Env.).

The general objective of PROTECT is to assess and project changes in the land-based cryosphere with quantified uncertainties, to produce robust global, regional and local projections of SLR on a wide range of timescales. The project will place particular emphasis on the low-probability, high impact scenarios of greatest interest to coastal planning stakeholders. A novelty in PROTECT is the strong interaction between these stakeholders and the sea-level scientists (ranging from glaciologists to coastal impact specialists) to identify relevant risks and opportunities from global to local scales and enhance European competitiveness in the provision of climate services.