National programme Sea and Coastal Research (ZKO)
In 2005, internal and external recommendations lead to the decision to realise a national research and development plan for sea and coastal research. The resulting ZKO programme is focussed on the scientific analysis of five societal challenges related to a sustainable use of sea and coastal zones. These five main challenges are safety, economic yield, nature, spatial planning & development and water quality. The ZKO programme is linked to the NWO theme Sustainable Earth. In 2010 the decision will be made whether to extend this programme.
The ZKO programme aims to facilitate collaboration between different research institutes in this field. Research done within this programme focuses on strengthening the understanding and knowledge of coastal development, the role of biogeochemical cycles and particle flows in relation to water quality, the capacity for a sustainable yield of the ecosystem, changes in biodiversity, the influence of seas and oceans on climate change and the effects of climate change on the marine system. This understanding can provide a basis for possible predictions.
The ZKO programme is divided into three subprogrammes, chosen by geographical location:
- Coastal zone and Wadden Sea
- North Sea
- Oceans
The research projects subsidised by the ZKO programme will be carried out during the period 2008-2013.
A total budget of 20 million € was made available by several partners.
