Raising and extending coastal land
Description For centuries, coastal communities have used rocks and soil to extend and raise coastal land to gain additional space for living, but also as defence against sea storms and flooding. In more recent times, filling of wetland areas and near-shore areas below the high-tide level to build new urban or industrial sites has become […]
Seawalls and quays
Description Seawalls are structures made of hard material (e.g. stones, concrete, masonry or sheet piles), built to protect the inland area against wave action and to prevent coastal erosion. Seawalls also serve to stabilize eroding cliffs and to protect coastal roads and settlements. They are built parallel to the shore at the transition between the […]
Managed retreat
Description The rising seas are nowadays our reality. As sea levels rise, lower coasts are at risk of inundation, coastal storms occur more often, and coastal erosion and seawater intrusion are on the rise. Storms and cyclones that occur in the Mediterranean Sea have already had an occasional impact on our coasts. With the rising […]
Water saving and recycling
DESCRIPTION Longer dry periods in Europe and a decreasing trend in average precipitation have been experienced since the second half of 20th century, especially in summer and in southern areas, including the Mediterranean and the Adriatic-Ionian region (EEA, 2017 indicator assessment of precipitation) leading to occasional water shortages. In addition, the increase of temperature projected […]
Reduction of soil consumption and surface unsealing in urban areas
Description Urbanization is transforming land formerly used by agriculture or as a natural area into artificial and sealed surfaces. The impermeabilisation of surfaces, as a consequence of increasing urbanization, leads to loss of essential surfaces for rain water infiltration. The climate change brings the increase of extreme weather events including heavy rains. As a consequence, […]
Adaptation through integrated fire management
Description Climate change projections (EEA-Indicator Assessment on Forest Fire, 2019) suggest substantial warming and increases in the number of heat waves and droughts across most of the Mediterranean area and more generally in southern Europe. These changes would prolong the duration and worsen the severity of the fire season, further increase the risk areas and […]
Green spaces and corridors in urban areas
DESCRIPTION Green spaces in cities provide cooling through shading and enhanced evapotranspiration, thus reducing the urban heat island (UHI) effect that occurs due to the modification of land surfaces and generation of waste heat. Green corridors, i.e. long green spaces in the cities and river-valleys which flow among the cities, can change the micro climate […]
Measures to reduce urban runoff
Description Extreme precipitation events are the climatic drivers of urban runoff and urban flooding, and are expected to increase in the future due to climate change. Urban runoff does not only depend on the intensity of rainfall events but also on the degree of soil permeability. In the natural environments the meteoric waters are washed […]
Water sensitive urban and building design
Description Changing climate in the Adriatic region coupled with ever increasing coastal urbanization results in the increase of water related ecological issues. Urban areas are characterized by high levels of surface sealing in the form of buildings and other impermeable surfaces such as streets, sidewalks and parking lots. As water is unable to infiltrate the […]
Climate-related health action plans
DESCRIPTION Evidence that climate change and especially extreme weather events cause impacts on human health is well documented. High temperature can lead to increased mortality and morbidity, with heat waves being a major concern in Europe, especially in southern and Mediterranean countries. In addition, mortality related to flooding is expected to increase, and change in […]