On April 26, 2022, the Sea’ties initiative with the support of the City of Marseille and Plan Bleuhosted online the regional workshop Adapting coastal cities and territories to sea level rise in the Mediterranean region. This workshop brought together more than 40 experts, including MedECC, and key stakeholders working on adapting coastal cities and territories in the Mediterranean region and provided a forum to share, connect and discuss current practices and common challenges.
Drawing on the returns on experience put forth during preliminary interviews and the workshop, the Sea’ties initiative with the support of the City of Marseille, Plan Bleu and MedECC release the report “Adapting Coastal Cities and Territories to Sea Level Rise in the Mediterranean Region, Challenges and Best Practices“.
This report provides an overview of current obstacles and features good practices contributing to the sustainable adaptation of coastal cities and their territories in the region. Accordingly, it addresses the issues of how to design sustainable adaptation strategies through a coordinated approach at the regional and local levels; how to articulate measures over time, particularly in the context of the transformation of key sectors such as tourism. Intended for policymakers, city and territorial planners, and residents willing to pursue transformational change on their coasts, the report highlights good practices through dedicated Boxes and Case-studies. Capacity imbalances and knowledge gaps emphasise the importance of structuring regional cooperation (i.e. knowledge-sharing, networks, cross-border projects, regional frameworks) around the issue of coastal adaptation to SLR. Defining pathways to articulate short-term agendas with transformational changes is pivotal as Mediterranean cities’ immediate responses to rapid erosion impact long-term resilience. Meanwhile, short and mid-term planning which draws on sustained stakeholder engagement helps implement transformational change. Articulating time horizons is particularly relevant to the adaptation of the tourism sector, whose realignment will be better accepted as it is co-conceived with all relevant stakeholders.
Excerpt of the Executive Summary. Ocean & Climate Platform. (2022). Adapting Coastal Cities and Territories to Sea Level Rise in the Mediterranean Region: Challenges and Best Practices. Ocean & Climate Platforme. 48 pp
Clink the link below to read the full report.
