Coastal Vulnerability Assessment along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea)

Angela Rizzo,Anton S Micallef,Vittoria Vandelli,George Buhagiar,Mauro Soldati

doi:10.3390/w12051405

Abstract

The coastal landscape of the Maltese Islands is the result of long-term evolution, influenced by tectonics, geomorphological processes, and sea level oscillations. Due to their geological setting, the islands are particularly prone to marine-related and gravity-induced processes, exacerbated by climate change. This study aligns different concepts into a relatively concise and expedient methodology for overall coastal vulnerability assessment, taking the NE sector of Gozo Island as a test case. Geomorphological investigation, integrated with analysis of marine geophysical data, enabled characterization of coastal dynamics, identifying this stretch of coast as being potentially hazardous. The study area features a high economic value derived from tourist and mining activities and natural protected areas, that altogether not only make coastal vulnerability a major concern but also the task of assessing it complex. Before introducing the methodology proposed for overall vulnerability assessment, an in-depth revision of the vulnerability concept is provided. The evaluation was carried out by using a set of key indicators related to local land use, anthropic and natural assets, economic activities, and social issues. Results show that the most critical areas are located east of Marsalforn including Ramla Bay, an important tourist attraction hosting the largest sandy beach in Gozo. The method combines physical exposure and social vulnerability into an overall index. It proves to be cost effective in data management and processing and is suitable for the identification and assessment of overall vulnerability of coastal areas to consequences of climate- and marine-related processes, such as coastal erosion, landslides and sea level rise.

Highlights

Coastal zones are host to very dynamic and complex environmental systems, subject to the direct and indirect influence of a number of factors that have contributed to their evolution over time.The present-day landscape of coastal areas is the combined result of interactions between natural agents that include physical factors inherent in the system and external climatic and marine forces [1,2].Human activity plays an important role in shaping coastal dynamics, often exerting additionalWater 2020, 12, 1405; doi:10.3390/w12051405 www.mdpi.com/journal/waterWater 2020, 12, 1405 pressures that may dominate over natural processes [3]
This paper proposes and applies a methodological approach that integrates physical exposure and social vulnerability into an “overall vulnerability index”, to identify areas that can be negatively affected by climate- and marine-related processes, such as coastal erosion, landslides and sea level rise
The analytical methods and tools used in this study provide a methodological template for overall vulnerability assessment in the form of an Overall Vulnerability Index (OVI) that can be computed and used, with relative ease at different scales

Summary

Introduction

Coastal zones are host to very dynamic and complex environmental systems, subject to the direct and indirect influence of a number of factors that have contributed to their evolution over time.The present-day landscape of coastal areas is the combined result of interactions between natural agents that include physical factors inherent in the system and external climatic and marine forces [1,2].Human activity plays an important role in shaping coastal dynamics, often exerting additionalWater 2020, 12, 1405; doi:10.3390/w12051405 www.mdpi.com/journal/waterWater 2020, 12, 1405 pressures that may dominate over natural processes [3]. Coastal areas are the transitional zone between the aquatic and the terrestrial ecosystems and they have an environmental intrinsic value on account of their high level of biological diversity, which supports the provision of several ecosystem services essential for human well-being [7,8]. In view of these considerations, the sustainable conservation of coastal areas is a worldwide issue and coastal vulnerability evaluation and risk assessment are of paramount importance for integrated coastal management [9]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion