Why a Project The protection of littorals cannot entail the use of cement or the construction « cementificazione»  of rocky defence structures on beaches and dunes. Consequently, every sustainable strategy we adopt must aim at reinforcing coasts, by using materials that can be found on site or that are compatible with the former. This approach is even more imperious if we consider the environmental, landscape and tourist heritage constituting the uniqueness of the Mediterranean coasts. This means that we have to carry out an extensive research and a feasibility assessment in order to know whether there are sand resources available for the reinforcement and maintenance of littorals, and whether they can be exploited and used. Even in case it is not necessary to intervene immediately or in case a limited intervention is sufficient,, it is strategic to have a complete knowledge of the sand resources in the Mediterranean as soon as possible, in order to develop a long-term supplying plan. This activity has already been launched in the framework of several European initiatives, the most important of which is the BEACHMED-e project (2005-2008, INTERREG IIIC, with a budget of 7.6 million €, www.beachmed.eu ) which already gave important results. However, it is necessary to extend this project to the whole Mediterranean continental platform, by involving countries from North Africa and the Middle East, as well as by envisaging a sustainable use of resources and concerted and well-balanced adaptation policies.  

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