Researcher calls for retreat from flood-threatened holiday areas

A researcher has proposed abandoning some existing holiday home and allotment garden areas that are too expensive to protect against flooding, DR reports.

Ole Fryd, a researcher in landscape architecture and planning at the University of Copenhagen, made the proposal at this year’s climate summit in Lemvig. The summit brings together experts, politicians, organisations and members of the public to discuss how to respond to rising sea and groundwater levels.

Fryd said some buildings in areas threatened by flooding may eventually have to be phased out.

“The sea will continue to rise, and erosion is also an ongoing process. Protective measures therefore have to be maintained over time, and that comes at a financial cost,” he said. “It also has costs in terms of materials, environmental impact and carbon emissions. Over time, it may therefore make better economic sense for society to phase out certain developments.”

Buyers show little concern

The prospect of future flooding has so far had no apparent effect on people buying holiday homes, according to Susanne Pallestoft, a real estate agent in Lemvig.

“We have a great many buyers for holiday homes. At the moment, we are seeing more and more buyers when new holiday homes come on the market, and some houses are even being sold above the asking price. There is no concern about water or the climate in general in our area. We do not notice it at all,” she said.

Pallestoft said the joy of becoming a holiday homeowner currently outweighs fears about flooding far into the future. She believes the threat will have to become much more concrete before it affects demand.

Growing political support

Planned retreat from holiday home areas has not yet taken place in Denmark. Politicians in Sweden, France and the United States have begun phasing out areas, however, and Fryd said he was seeing growing political willingness to consider the same approach in Denmark.

“Five years ago, it was almost taboo and was ridiculed. But now there is growing awareness and a discussion about the costs to society,” he said.

The climate summit at the Klimatorium venue in Lemvig began Wednesday at 9am and continues until Thursday.