Abstract
This paper aims to assess the vulnerability of coastal areas to sectoral pressures from maritime-related socio-economic activities. To do this, a DEA-based method is proposed to construct a synthetic index of anthropogenic vulnerability with which to rank European Atlantic Area countries and regions down to a regional scale below the national level. The set of indicators selected for this index focuses on five important vectors: marine spills, port activities, tourism, protection of natural areas, and water quality and waste management. The paper shows that, overall, the United Kingdom has the most vulnerable coast in Atlantic Europe, with Ireland showing the most resilient coast of all. Furthermore, the proposed method also allows one to identify peer groups with the same vulnerability pattern. Thus, policies aiming to reduce the vulnerability of a target region may be devised by focusing on the least vulnerable regions within the relevant group. The detailed analysis presented may help regional policy makers as a diagnostic tool to detect and assess vulnerability weaknesses so that they can design and carry out appropriate actions in line with integrated European coastal management policies.
Highlights
During the last decades, the European Union has experienced important increases in pressure on coastal resources, in coastal population, and in near-shore and on-shore infrastructures
We discuss the ranking of Atlantic European coastal regions based on the vulnerability scores, on a scale of zero to ten, obtained in the five vectors’ subindices
The EU Marine Strategy Framework recommends member states to assess the level of human impacts on marine waters and coasts and the degradation of the coastal environment
Summary
The European Union has experienced important increases in pressure on coastal resources, in coastal population, and in near-shore and on-shore infrastructures. Integrated European environmental management policies concerning marine strategies and the management of coastal zones in Europe try to respond to this by offering a comprehensive and integrated approach to the protection of all European coasts and marine waters [1,2,3,4,5]. In this respect, the relevant recommendations and directives recognize the great environmental, economic, social, cultural and recreational importance of coastal zones of Europe, while, in contrast, admitting to an increasing deterioration of conditions as regards both the coasts themselves and the quality of coastal water [6]. Within the new European Green Deal [9], the role of the oceans and the blue economy has become central to tackling climate change
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