Author: Eleanor Morrissey
As people are getting ready to enjoy the summer across Europe, more and more people will flock to the coast to enjoy bathing in the sea water, relaxing in the surrounding area, and enjoying locally sourced seafood. For most people, they will not be aware of the dangers associated with such activities aside from sunburn. But the researchers of BlueAdapt are investigating the health risks posed by rising temperatures and increasing pollution in coastal environments.
In June, BlueAdapt hosted its first symposium with internal and external researchers and policymakers. We welcomed discussions and insights on the links between climate change, pollution and health risks in our coastal waters. We also heard from policymakers to draw on how we can translate research into effective policy action.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our speakers and participants from such an engaging event.
The BlueAdapt team who met in Cornwall, UK
Climate Impacts and Coastal Water Quality
Understanding the climate impacts on coastal water quality can be a challenge given its broad scope. BlueAdapt researchers from the University of Exeter, University of Bangor, the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC) outlined the key findings of their current research into the issue in the first session.
William Gaze (University of Exeter) presented the research into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that formulates background knowledge for BlueAdapt. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the process by which pathogens become more resistant to antibiotic medicines, is a rising phenomenon and alarmingly mortality rates are roughly similar to the number of covid-related deaths each year during the pandemic and are predicted to increase in the future. Will described how we are entering a post-antibiotic era where antibiotics may become ineffective, and where high temperatures as well as climate-related natural events such as flooding are increasing pathogen transmission. In the UK, people using coastal waters are up to four times more likely to be colonised by AMR bacteria which increases the risk of infection, and the risk of ill health in water users has not changed in 30 years despite efforts to reduce coastal pollution.
Jessica Kevill (University of Bangor) highlighted how pollution from wastewater is impacting people’s health. Both short and long-term persisting viruses can be found in rivers, and to understand this persistence we need to understand how they are impacted by different climate stressors. The research at University of Bangor is testing how different environmental conditions affect the survival of viruses. With this information, they can then create prediction models to understand how viruses act in different climate scenarios and create a warning system based on these models.
Lorenzo Sangelentoni (CMCC) took to the floor to give a talk on climate modelling and climate data provision. He detailed ongoing efforts to run high-resolution fully coupled ocean-land-atmosphere climate models that approach usable resolutions for regional-scale adaptation studies.
Jaime Martinez-Urtaza (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), member of BlueAdapt’s advisory board and researcher in the sister project IDAlert, presented his research on the lifecycle of the human waterborne pathogen Vibrio, noting that the number of pathogens present in marine environments is increasing each year, with climate change playing a key role in this. His research is developing an ‘eco-evolutionary’ framework to combine data with climatology to address the threats we face.
“I think all the different ongoing activities of the project are very innovative and extremely relevant for all the experts working on marine pathogens.” – Jaime Martinez-Urtaza (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
Coastal water quality: Perspectives from policy
Based on our understanding of how climate change and pollution impact our coastal environments and health, BlueAdapt will transform this research into policy advocacy. The symposium explored the opportunities and challenges faced in policy advocacy, with guest speakers from Cornwall Council, the UK Environment Agency, and the NGO Surfers Against Sewage.
The speakers including Rhys Hobbs (Cornwall Council), Jonathan Porter (Environment Agency) and Henry Swithinbank (Surfers Against Sewage), considered the question of how to involve local communities in policymaking decisions, communicate effectively on the risks faced by the local community, and how to navigate these risks.
Rhys Hobbs talked about the award-winning LCAT tool (part of the BlueAdapt project), which is being used in collaboration with local decision makers to formulate Cornwall’s adaptation strategy. Such local learnings can in turn inform efforts at national (such as the Climate Emergency Plan) and international level.
Jonathan Porter, a microbiologist from the Environment Agency, explained that factors affecting coastal water quality aren’t always direct, for example bacteria associated with seabirds may be influenced by human-bird interactions. He also questioned whether current measures for indicator bacteria like E. coli will continue to give the level of public health protection needed as coastal water temperatures increase; and asked how best we communicate microbiological risks with people so they can make informed choices?
“Very, very interesting to hear such a wide range of perspectives and predictions on the outcomes of increased coastal water temperatures. And it’s always good to meet new people – I have had two follow-up conversations, which may lead to useful collaborations. I really hope the momentum from Blue Adapt can be maintained and the importance of preparing for change stays high on everyone’s agenda.” – Jonathan Porter (Environment Agency)
Henry Swithinbank highlighted how Surfers Against Sewage entwine policy advocacy with their campaigns to inspire action among the general public and policymakers alike. By taking the issues affecting coastal waters to the people on the ground, demand for change builds to encourage policymakers to take action based on local needs. We are currently running a survey to investigate how pollution alerts from Surfers Against Sewage’s app affect people’s exposure to waterborne infections, you can read more and take part here.
Community Impacts
Following the discussions around policy implementation and community engagement, the Symposium moved into deeper discussions around the need for community engagement to enhance outcomes. Speakers from our BlueAdapt team included Sinead Duane (University of Galway), Hao Wang (Deltares), Aline Chiabai (Basque Centre for Climate Change – BC3) and Tim Taylor (University of Exeter).
Sinead Duane started by explaining BlueAdapt’s case study investigation into how we can evaluate whether information that’s provided by smartphone technology is effective in keeping people safe from waterborne infections. She explained that we know that early warning systems are available through apps, but have they been evaluated and what impact do they have on risk assessments or decision making? And what are the active ingredients that make apps effective in protecting water users?
Hao Wang presented a case study focused on a coastal area in the Netherlands facing pathogenic issues. The project ultimately seeks to provide a real-time forecasting platform to offer early warnings and support local authorities in mitigating pathogenic risks under climate change scenarios.
Aline Chiabai introduced BlueAdapt’s conceptual framework. The framework uses a system map to analyse how multiple stressors related to climate change, pollution and the social context interact with each other in determining the risk of infectious diseases. The latter depends on factors related to exposure, susceptibility to infections and the recovery capacity of the person affected. The role of the health status of the population emerges as a fundamental factor.
“For example, the increased burden of chronic diseases, exacerbated partly by lifestyle and socio-economic factors, and partly by pollution and climate hazards, are creating a pool of people at higher risk of infectious diseases. Therefore, future adaptation strategies should integrate measures on reducing exposure with health promotion interventions.” – Aline Chiabai (BC3)
Finally, Tim Taylor‘s presentation highlighted the importance of water quality for health and recreation, drawing from European studies like the BlueHealth project which demonstrated the significant economic value of blue space visits, varying across Europe. Tim explained that BlueAdapt will value the health impacts of coastal water pathogens through an international survey, estimate the benefits of early warning systems, and conduct cost-benefit analyses of adaptation options. This work aims to fill the gap in literature on the health impacts of coastal waters, complementing existing studies on recreational values.
Final thoughts
The symposium brought together different sectors concerned with the ongoing health threats caused by climate change in coastal environments. From research to policy, there is a need to connect with one another and to include the local community at every step of the way. It is clear that to facilitate more action, we need to understand one another’s language better to work towards a common goal. As BlueAdapt gains momentum, we will continue bringing the sectors together to explore the opportunities in climate mitigation and adaptation in a way that prioritises and protects our health.
Here’s a picture of me (in the middle) with some of my BlueAdapt colleagues enjoying the fresh air during the Symposium!
