The recent Asian tsunami and flooding of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina are two prominent examples that demonstrate the vulnerability of low-lying coastal areas.
Storm surges represent a major natural hazard in the North Sea region, with around 40,000 km² of low-lying land at coastal flood risk in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the UK.  Without appropriate coastal (flood and erosion) management and flood defence measures, this area, where about 16 million people live, would be at an unacceptable level of flood risk (see map below).
One of the key conditions for social fulfilment and economic development in these areas, is a safe coast. Climate change, with associated sea level rise and possibly intenser storms, has now become the foremost environmental issue affecting the world and most experts agree that the risk of coastal flooding will increase in the coming decades.There is the prospect of increased storminess, more extreme events and of course sea level rise. The issue of developments within the coastal zone needs to be thoroughly considered for the future.
Project Safecoast enables coastal managers to share their knowledge and experience to broadening their scope on flood risk management in order to find new ways to keep our feet dry in the future.

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Coastal & Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) performs ocean, estuarine, riverine, and watershed regional scale systems analyses research support work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the DoD Task Force in support of the Ocean Commission.

A CHL multi-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers and support personnel work in internationally known, unique facilities. This highly educated team has established experimental and computational expertise for solving water resource problems worldwide.

CHL research and development addresses water resource challenges in groundwater, watersheds, rivers, reservoirs, lakes, estuaries, harbors, coastal inlets and wetlands. Physical facilities of approximately 1.7 million square feet are the basic infrastructure for producing cutting-edge products for successful coastal and inland water resources management.

Research projects range from design guidance to three-dimensional numerical models. Focus is placed on inland and coastal navigation, military logistics over the shore, dredging, flood control, storm and erosion protection, waterway restoration, fish passage, hydro-environmental modeling, water/land management, and other water and sediment-related issues facing the nation. CHL work, although primarily in support of the Corp's divisions and districts, also interfaces with other federal, state and local agencies, academia, conservation groups, and the general public, as appropriate.

eurosion 

An European initiative for sustainable coastal erosion management

Directorate General Environment European Commission

A considerable amount of the European Union’s coast is currently eroding despite the development of a wide range of measures to protect shorelines from eroding and flooding. The prospect of further sea level rise due to climate change and the heritage of mismanagement in the past imply that coastal erosion will be a growing concern in the future. This motivated the European Parliament in 2001 to initiate a project on developing coastal erosion policy recommendations and requested the European Commission to launch the call for tenders "Service contract concerning coastal erosion - evaluation of the needs for action" (ENV.B.3/SER/2001/0030). EUROSION is a project commissioned by the General Directorate Environment of the European Commission, which was won by a consortium led by the National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. The implementation of the project started in January 2002. The project is expected to achieve its objectives by May 2004 and has a budget of five million euros.

The strategic objective of the project EUMARSAND is to investigate and train to a high level young researchers in the complex issues associated with the marine aggregate exploitation. These issues are addressed through the application of a wide range of scientific approaches (geological, sedimentological, physical, ecological and engineering -based). The integration of these approaches will improve significantly both resource management and our knowledge on the impacts of aggregate extraction, on the state and dynamics of the inner shelf and coastal environments.Fieldwork will be undertaken in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The Kwintebank is selected as the field investigation site in the North Sea, while the areas Tromper Wiek and Wustrow will be examined in the Baltic Sea. Duration: 1 November 2002 - 31 October 2005

The project essentially originates from merging of two different streams of activity on the problem of protecting the coastal areas: on one hand work devoted to the protection of specific areas (often stimulated by “emergencies” of some kind), on the other, initiatives aimed at developing general (at least at national level) standards for the assessment of the “ state of the coast ”, its evolution, the causes of such evolution. The Italian DSTN (National Department for National Technical Services), later merged into APAT(National Agency for Environment and Technical Services), originally proposed the design of guidelines for the protection of the coastal areas and did some preliminary work on the issue. Finally, CINFAI designed the present project in the context of an integrated view of the land-sea interaction. In line with the nature of the initiative, we expect results: of immediate applicative nature since the results of the proposed activities will be immediately used for the management of systems set up for the protection of some coastal areas (mostly from marine water intrusions); of more general impact since we expect to establish rigorous and reliable standards for the assessment of the state of the coast and its evolution and their adoption by public authorities in the context of general guidelines for coast protection. Project CADSEALAND, approved on the February 2004 within the European program Interregg III B CADSES, will last two years: from the 1-1-2004 to 31-12-2006.

ELOISE is a thematic network instigated by the Commission of the European Union where coastal zone research is combined to focus on the important questions of how the land-ocean interaction operates, and of how this is influenced by human activities. By nurturing a coherent European coastal zone research network of high scientific value and of direct relevance to society, it is intended that ELOISE can directly contribute to activities in the fields of integrated coastal zone management and spatial planning. Since inception, ELOISE has comprised a total of 55 projects, 26 of which are currently active. This renders it the world's largest coastal research initiative. In addition to its support in the development of European policy, ELOISE represents the coordinated official European Union input to the LOICZ (Land Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone) Core Project of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP).

The €2M European funded CoastView Project aims to develop coastal video monitoring systems in support of coastal zone management. Video cameras are mounted on a high vantage overlooking the coastline and are capable of remotely sensing waves, currents and beach elevation at high frequency, over a scale of several kilometres. These systems relay information recorded onsite through telephone lines to a remote computer and the Internet. The CoastView project involves 12 partner institutions from six countries, including four national-scale coastal mangers from Spain, Italy, Netherlands and the UK. Duration: May 2002 - March 2005. Related papers: The CoastView project: Developing video-derived Coastal State Indicators in support of coastal zone management

The Coastal Practice Network is a three year - Interreg IIIC project to help establish a coastal practitioners network and bridge the gap between planners, managers and the research community throughout Europe. It has been set up to develop and exchange information on best practice in the coastal zone on the issues of sustainable tourism and coastal erosion and beach management. The network will serve to equalise the differences in regional coastal development by bringing together Priority 1 and 2 partners in a partnership embracing research, advisory and implementing organisations. Project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the INTERREG IIIC Programme.

La Regione Abruzzo è stata tra le prime regioni italiane a porsi il problema di razionalizzare la gestione della fascia costiera riconoscendo la necessità di promuovere e sostenere lo sviluppo di processi integrati di governo. In questo contesto si colloca la delibera del Consiglio Regionale del giugno 1997 sul tema della difesa dall’erosione costiera dal titolo: “Difesa o gestione: indirizzi per la definizione di un piano organico dell’area costiera abruzzese”. A valle di tale delibera la Regione Abruzzo, sulla base di un progetto sviluppato di concerto con il DISAT (Dipartimento di Ingegneria delle Strutture, delle Acque e del Terreno) della Facoltà di Ingegneria dell’Università degli Studi di L’Aquila, otteneva da parte della Comunità Europea e nell’ambito del Programma LIFE il cofinanziamento del progetto R.I.C.A.MA. (Rationale for Integrated Coastal Area MAnagmment) che vedeva coinvolte anche tre università straniere (il CIIRC del Politecnico di Barcellona in Spagna e le Università di Twente e Delft in Olanda) e due società italiane (Abruzzo Informatica e Tecnomare). La responsabilità del progetto veniva affidata per la Regione Abruzzo all’ing. Pierluigi Caputi e per l’Università al prof. ing. Paolo De Girolamo afferente al DISAT. Quasi contestualmente al finanziamento del Progetto RICAMA la Regione Abruzzo approvava la sopra menzionata legge n.108 con la quale decideva di promuovere “attività di ricerca applicata di supporto alla programmazione di pianificazione regionale in materia di difesa della costa dai fenomeni erosivi”. A questo progetto veniva attribuito il nome SICORA (Supporto Informativo per la gestione della zona COstiera della Regione Abruzzo). Data la stretta interconnessione e conseguenzialità esistente tra RICAMA e SICORA, la Regione decise di avviare in primo luogo il progetto RICAMA che ufficialmente partì nel mese di novembre del 1998 e la cui conclusione è avvenuta nel 2001.

DEDUCE

Evaluation Model for the Sustainable Development of European Coastal Zones

The state and evolution of the coastal environment is one of the main concerns of the European Institutions. Most of the coastal zones in Europe are subject to high levels of human pressure. Almost 50% of the European population lives within 50 km of the coastline of Europe (89,000 km) and the economic resources that this strip generates represent a large part of the Union's wealth (tourism, fishing, transport, industry and trade). However, the intensive and growing use of natural coastal resources has a negative effect on the quality of the waters, the availability of water resources, the stability of the beaches, the marine and coastal ecology, the landscapes and the atmosphere, very frequently meaning that these zones are found in a at risk condition. This intensive use can lead to a devaluation of the natural capital of these zones and the resulting negative social and economic effects. Within this context, on 30 May 2002 the European Parliament and the Council, approved the Recommendation concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management with the aim of encouraging all coastal Member States and Candidate Countries to draw up in 2006 coastal strategies based on integrated management principles intended to guide European coastal zones towards more sustainable scenarios.

The project, supported by EC under Contract n°: EVK3-CT-2000-00041, aims to promote effective and environmentally compatible design of LCS to defend European shores against coastal erosion and preserve the littoral environment as well as the coast economic development. DELOS offers the possibility to achieve this aim through integrated collaboration among engineers, coastal oceanographers, marine ecologists, economists and political institutions, involving 18 partners from 7 European countries and end users . Duration: February 2001 – February 2004

• Objective 1: Provide a state of the art of shoreline monitoring and modelling techniques supporting coastline management policies, with a particular attention paid to innovative techniques;
• Objective 2: Review concrete examples of economic analysis methodologies applied to shoreline management policy inside and outside Europe;
• Objective 3: Embed lessons learnt from existing coastal defence engineering practices - including hard and soft engineering - into coastal planning processes at the local level;
• Objective 4: Assess information requirements to better integrate coastal erosion processes into spatial planning policies;
• Objective 5: Design and implement a pilot GIS-based information system dedicated to shoreline management planning at the local level, to be experimented by the project partners

1) a "coastal manager toolkit" made of 4 practical guides ("Monitoring and modelling the shoreline", "Valuing the shoreline", "Engineering the shoreline", "Integrating the shoreline into spatial planning policies") and a demo CDROM featuring a GIS-based prototype of shoreline management planning;

2) a series of 4 workshops in line with the topic of each practical guide;

3) a web site giving a full online access to the project outputs.

The Alpine Region is regarded as the most valuable source of clean drinking water in Europe and of great importance for hydro power use. Management of water as an extremely valuable resource is guaranteed by numerous reservoirs enabling a third essential task: flood protection. Sediments are transported in rivers originated from natural geomorphological processes in alpine regions accumulating material in reservoirs. Thus storage capacity is reduced interfering with the needs of water supply, flood protection and hydro power. However, the lack of transported material in downstream sections heavily affects ecological variety, river bed stability and groundwater. The project aims on a wise management of sediments on basis of experiences gained on national level to establish trans-national guidelines taking into account the EU Water Framework Directive and spatial development needs to preserve existing reservoirs and to avoid uncontrolled exploitation by constructing new storage capacity.

On February 1st 2006 the EU networking initiative ENCORA has started. Coastal networks in 13 European countries work together to enable easier access to knowledge and experience of your European colleagues on coastal processes, practices and policies: You may ask the coordination offices of these networks to look for partners in your country and abroad, to share knowledge and experience on scientific, practical and political issues, which are at stake in your organisation; You may participate in thematic networks and use the thematic email list to exchange information with your colleagues (for themes complementary to coastal_list@UDel.Edu); ENCORA will develop a European internet portal for searching expertise and information in the websites of member institutes and individual participants; ENCORA can host your website; You may contribute to the compilation of coastal expertise and coastal zone management practices that will be assembled in Thematic Coastal Directories and you may contribute to the development of European Action Plans to address major deficiencies in coastal expertise; ENCORA will develop a programme of exchange-visits between coastal institutes throughout Europe for young researchers and practitioners. The networking activities of ENCORA encompass all disciplines relevant to research, management and policy of coastal zones, including the coastal waters. ENCORA closely cooperates with other initiatives of the European R&D Framework Programme, the EU Directorate-General of Environment, the European Environment Agency and with other national and international coastal networks.ENCORA is a Coordination Action co-funded for 3 years from 1 February 2006 by the 6th EU Framework Programme.

Innovative projects as well as networks based on transnational co-operation shall enforce the European spirit in the Alpine Area.The four main objectives of the Alpine Space Programme are:

To establish the Alpine Space as a powerful area in the European network of development areas: this requires a common understanding of the role of the Alpine Space in terms of sustainable spatial development and to promote actively this by carrying out various activities and measures. To initialise and support sustainable development initiatives within the Alpine Space under consideration of the relationship between the alpine core region and the fringes of the Alps. This would cover transnational activities in various sectors from Community to municipal level by focusing on the most important issues of the Alpine development. To find efficient solutions in the domains of accessibility and transport by promoting sustainable modes of transport and communication. To safeguard the diversity of the natural and cultural heritage and to protect the population and infrastructure from natural hazards by the development of common tools, exchange of methods and information.

COMRISK

COMMON STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE RISK OF STORM FLOODS IN COASTAL LOWLANDS

COMRISK is a common project of North Sea Region coastal defence authorities. It aims at improved risk management for coastal flood prone areas. The project runs from 2002 to 2005 and is co-financed by the Community Initiative Programme Interreg III B North Sea Region of the European Union.

Il Progetto GERER, mediante la ricerca di soluzioni adeguate ai problemi specifici, vuole perseguire l’individuazione di azioni finalizzate alla prevenzione e mitigazione dei rischi di degrado e perdita delle risorse costiere come le spiagge. Il riferimento metodologico richiama la Gestione Integrata dei molteplici aspetti del sistema costiero, fondata sulla conoscenza scientifica dei processi ambientali, sul rispetto socio-economico e culturale delle comunità locali e sul coordinamento delle competenze istituzionali. Dalle esperienze individuali i partners del Progetto GERER, forti delle comuni caratteristiche delle aree costiere transfrontaliere, hanno costituito un parternariato con la finalità di ottimizzare gli sforzi verso una strategia innovativa di valorizzazione e gestione dei patrimoni naturalistici costieri coerentemente con gli orientamenti espressi dalla Comunità Europea.