This document introduces the ASTRA project which aims to assess and illustrate the impacts of climate change in the Baltic Sea Region. The project was motivated by new developments in climate policy and research showing the need to downscale climate change impacts to the regional and local level. The objectives are to raise awareness of climate change impacts and adaptation issues and recommend adaptation policies and strategies. Case studies will be conducted in cities and regions in Finland, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Germany. Some early success stories include commitments from cities to use the project results for planning flood protection and considering impacts like sea level rise and ice movements.

1. AstrA Introduction to the project and background information, e.g. ESPON Philipp Schmidt-Thomé Geological Survey of Finland, GTK

3. ESPON- Forest fires

4. ESPON – Dry spell change - forest fires

5. ESPON / INTERACT Forest fire projects INTERREG IIIB

7. Winter storm January 2005

8. Winter storm and storm surge January 2005 Example: Case study Pärnu / Estonia

11. Case studies Finland: Espoo, Kokkola, Raahe Poland: Vistula Delta, Gdansk, Oder river Basin Estonia: Estonia Archipelago, Pärnu Maa,City of Tallinn Lithuania: Curonian Spit Latvia: Salaca river basin Germany: Oder river Basin