European funds Related EU Grant Loans Programme(s):  Grants for the conservation of natural habits, wild Fauna and flora of European interest  Grants for the conservation of natural habitats, wild fauna and flora of European interest

Europe's coast is under growing threat from erosion. Coastal erosion is the gradual destruction of land by the sea. A fifth of the enlarged EU's coastline is already severely affected, with coastlines retreating by between 0.5 and 2 metres per year, and in a few dramatic cases even by 15 metres.

These are some of the findings of the most comprehensive study on the problem of human-induced erosion ever done, "Living with Coastal Erosion in Europe: Sediment and Space for Sustainability," which was commissioned by the European Commission. Coastal erosion has dramatic effects upon the environment and on human activity. It can make houses fall into the sea and destroy roads and other infrastructure. It threatens habitats of wildlife, the safety of people living at the coast, and economic activities such as tourism. It is largely caused by human activity in the form of intensive development and use of sand for construction and engineering purposes. Rising sea levels and increasingly frequent storms and floods have worsened the problem. To cope with it, new and sustainable forms of coastal management are needed.
The results and recommendations of the study will feed into the EU's forthcoming "Thematic Strategy on Soil". Tomorrow they will be discussed at an international conference in Brussels.

Recommendations proposed in this study:

The study "Living with Coastal Erosion in Europe: Sand and Space for Sustainability" makes four recommendations to cope with coastal erosion in Europe:

Strengthen coastal resilience by restoring the sediment balance . This will require identifying areas where essential sediment processes occur, and identifying "strategic sediment reservoirs" from where sediment can be taken without endangering the natural balance.

Taking the cost of coastal erosion into account in planning and investment decisions. Public responsibility for possible risks and damage restoration should be limited and partly transferred to the direct beneficiaries and investors. This would result in a higher degree of care. In addition, risks should be identified and incorporated into planning and investment policies. Coastal erosion concerns should be taken account of in Environmental Impact Assessments as well as coastal management.

Make responses to coastal erosion pro-active and planned. Instead of the current piecemeal approach to "fix" coastal erosion when it happens, a long-term and more planned approach is needed. It should be based on regional coastal sediment management plans aimed at restoring coastal resilience. The plans should comprehensively assess what is at stake and what the costs and consequences of different policy options (protect - do nothing - abandon the area) are.

Strengthen the knowledge base of coastal erosion management and planning to ensure informed decisions and the application of best practice.