Shop owner defies flooding risks at Faaborg harbor in Denmark

As soon as the water at the Faaborg harbor rises above the edge, shop owner Line Klivager grows anxious. Her smokehouse is directly adjacent to the harbor. Despite this, she has no plans to relocate her business. “We can’t just move my little smokehouse up into the Svanninge hills, where it might be ‘safe.’ It needs to be located by a harbor. It has been here for many years; that’s its charm and soul. Literally, we can spit into the sea from here,” Klivager states.

In light of frequent flooding, she has taken precautions to protect her business, notably during last year’s storm surge. “We prepared ourselves to be ready. We secured tables, benches, and umbrellas, and installed our newly purchased high-water protection,” she reflects on the extreme weather that struck in October.

Faaborg Røgeri Café was also affected by the 2023 storm surge, but thanks to Klivager’s investment in flood defenses, no water entered the smokehouse. The smokehouse’s unique position right by the harbor is the reason she does not want to relocate. “It belongs here,” she insists.

In contrast to Klivager, some shop owners are opting to move their businesses due to flooding risks, possibly relocating to drier areas of the city or even to entirely different towns. Marc Perera Christensen, Deputy Director for regional business development at Dansk Erhverv, expresses concern over the potential consequences of weather-related flooding for vulnerable cities. He warns that if municipalities do not implement climate protections, businesses may increasingly migrate away from central urban areas located near fjords and coastal views, exacerbating existing decline in city centers.