Climate and societal challenges such as the recent storms and Denmark's flood hazards call for action and multidisciplinary perspectives to drive solutions. A meeting at the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) brought together experts from AIAS, Aarhus University and the Danish Coastal Authority (Kystdirektoratet) to discuss fast-response protocols for extreme weather events, particularly Denmark's flood hazards. Historical events like the 1872 storm surge and the storm Bodil (2013) underscored the urgent need for robust infrastructure and proactive planning.

Discussions highlighted challenges such as:

• a lack of public sense of urgency and shifting societal vulnerabilities
• affluent populations increasingly settling in high-risk coastal areas, amplifying the demands for mitigation and protection.

The meeting stressed the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing to address the escalating risks posed by climate change and extreme weather events.