Friedrichskoog opens climate dike and beach, shielding 1,500 from rising seas

Project completion

The dike reinforcement at Friedrichskoog Spitze, on Germany's North Sea coast, has been finished after roughly two years of work, just in time for the 2026 summer season. The upgraded coastal defence now includes a widened dike crown path, ramps, play containers and boardwalks leading into the Wadden Sea mudflats at the new green beach, Trischendiek.

Protection and tourism

The climate dike is designed to shield 1,500 residents, more than €320 million in assets and thousands of hectares of farmland from long-term sea-level rise and storm surges. At the same time, the project transforms the area into a visitor attraction, with direct access to the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea nature reserve.

With the climate dike, not only are 1,500 people, assets worth more than 320 million euros and thousands of hectares of land protected in the long term from rising sea levels, but the tourist offering has also become significantly more attractive: here you can experience the fascinating nature of the Wadden Sea up close and have a really relaxed holiday by the sea.

Funding

The total cost of the coastal protection measure was around €31.7 million, according to the environment ministry. Of that, €10.7 million went to the dike itself and €20 million to strengthening the tourist infrastructure. The project was financed with EU and state funds from Schleswig-Holstein.

Local significance

Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt (Greens) attended a ceremony to mark the completion and the official opening of the beach. He said Friedrichskoog Spitze shows how a municipality can position itself for the future by combining flood defence with quality-of-life improvements.