Search Results (24)

Tourism development in coastal zones is often guided by marketing strategies focused on promotion, without real integration with the ecological, identity, and planning challenges facing these territories. This disconnection compromises environmental resilience, dilutes local cultural identity, and hinders adaptive governance in contexts of increasing tourism pressure and climate change. In response to this problem, the article presents the concept of Blue Marketing, a place-based, sustainability-oriented approach designed to guide communication, product development, and governance in marine and coastal destinations. Drawing on socio-environmental marketing and inspired by Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), the study proposes a Blue Marketing Decalogue (BMD), structured into three thematic blocks: (1) Ecosystem-focused sustainability, (2) cultural identity and territorial uniqueness, and (3) strategic planning and adaptive governance. Methodologically, the decalogue is empirically grounded in a territorial diagnosis of the Barbate–Vejer coastal corridor (Cádiz, Spain), developed through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), local planning documents, and field observations. This case study provides a detailed analysis of ecological vulnerabilities, cultural resources, and tourism dynamics, offering strategic insights transferable to other coastal contexts. The BMD incorporates both strategic and normative instruments that support the design of responsible tourism communication strategies, aligned with environmental preservation, community identity, and long-term planning. This contribution enriches current debates on sustainable tourism governance and provides practical tools for coastal destinations aiming to balance competitiveness with ecological responsibility. Ultimately, Blue Marketing is proposed as a vector for transformation, capable of reconnecting tourism promotion with the sustainability challenges and opportunities of coastal regions. Full article

Climate change and its adverse effects are now the greatest threats faced by society. As a consequence, it is essential to adopt strategic tools and adaptation measures, especially in the most vulnerable and susceptible areas, such as coastal zones. This study provides an assessment of strategic adaptation instruments in European Union (EU) coastal countries, identifying key gaps and areas for improvement to support more effective and coordinated climate adaptation. To address this, a selection of 19 EU coastal countries was carried out based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. National adaptation strategies and plans were reviewed using scientific, technical, and institutional sources. The analysis focused on the development and evolution of these instruments, particularly in response to major coastal impacts. Identified adaptation measures were classified by typology (structural–physical, social, and institutional) and comparatively assessed to detect implementation trends, regional approaches, and existing gaps across countries. The results of this study indicate that there has been a notable and progressive increase in the adoption of adaptation plans and strategies that address problems faced by coastal areas. Physical–structural adaptation measures are the most widely used, especially ecosystem-based and engineering measures, even in specific projects implemented at different territorial scales of governance. One of the main conclusions is that all coastal EU member states have adopted strategic planning frameworks for adaptation, with increasing emphasis on coastal areas. However, enhanced European solidarity and knowledge exchange are essential to ensure equitable and effective adaptation across all regions. Full article

In Cuba, coastal zone management is a matter of environmental priority. The Cuban State has legislated its protection mechanisms, actions, and instruments according to a high-hierarchical-rank legal norm. This article revealed the institutional frameworks and implementation strategies that support the socio-ecosystemic approach in coastal marine governance in the southeastern region of Santiago de Cuba, focusing on the management practices of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) programs. Under the logic of ICZM principles, a scientometric, exegetical–legal study was carried out, with thematic content analysis, using the Driving Forces–Pressures–State–Impacts–Respond (DPSIR) framework. The methodology to meet the objectives was based on three analytical stages that generated scientific proposals for implementing the socio-ecosystemic approach in adaptive coastal governance practices. As a result, it is demonstrated that this approach has a scientific and legal proposal in Cuba, and its dynamics in coastal management programs are revealed. This study indicates that the logic of the DPSIR framework provides a propositional platform that helps structure the fundamentals of the proposed approach with reference to objectives and responses of coastal marine governance in Cuba. Full article

Although it is practically impossible to find locations without a massive flux of tourists, few beach destinations present a great attraction due to their privileged natural characteristics. This is often the case for sites that show splendid beach sands. To maintain their tourist attraction and related economic income, it is essential to know sediment characteristics such as their mineralogical composition, particle size, and colour. This paper presents a textural, chromatic, and mineralogical database of 90 beaches in Cuba. The composition of sediments was identified by stereomicroscopy, their texture by digital image analysis, sand colour according to the CIE space and X-ray diffraction, and fluorescence and electron microscopy were used to determine sediment mineralogy. Two main groups of beaches were identified: the lighter and brighter beaches of the cays are dominated by the association of authigenic carbonates (aragonite, kutnohorite, and calcite) while the south and northeastern coasts of eastern Cuba are dominated by darker sediments with larger grain sizes composed of amphibole, pyroxene, serpentines, chlorites, quartz, and plagioclase of detrital origin. The data obtained will allow the design of proper management actions of coastal resources, i.e., the maintaining of beaches’ sediment quality after nourishment works and, at the same time, the promotion and development of new, presently undervalued areas. Full article

This paper aims to present a process that led to the development of a community-based adaptive governance model for tourist beaches as a significant step toward consolidating an integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) program at the local level. This research spans 16 years of work conducted in Playa Blanca, Santa Marta, Colombia, from 2008 to 2024. A qualitative social research methodology was employed using content analysis as the primary technique. The Force-Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model, the ASAS method, two expert panels, and eight community workshops were carried out as part of the study. As a result, the concept of community-based adaptive governance for tourist beaches was developed, leading to the design of a Model of Adaptive Governance based on Communities for Tourist Beaches (known in Spanish as GABCO-PLAYTUR). This model emphasizes the empowerment and active involvement of local actors. National and international experts, along with regional and local stakeholders, have validated the GABCO-PLAYTUR Model to ensure its effectiveness in beach management. When applying this model, the results indicated that the primary pressures on the Playa Blanca ecosystem were related to tourism activities. Additionally, the study revealed that inefficient coordination among the various actors involved in decision-making processes affects the socio-ecosystem. In conclusion, the relevance of the governance model in Playa Blanca was confirmed, illustrating a complex process with both progress and setbacks that evolve over time. While the community actors demonstrated high levels of organization and leadership in beach management, the role of institutions in this process was less prominent during the period analyzed. Full article

In this study, within the framework of four of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which form the basic principles of coastal sustainability, the targets determined to be related to Turkey were examined in detail, to contribute to the development of an evaluation and measurement system, using the bibliometric analysis method on articles from the Web of Science. Then, we attempted to develop solutions in line with Turkey’s conditions to eliminate the current problems. This study also aimed to contribute to the creation of criteria that could be used as the basis for determining the adequacy and effectiveness of the ICZM through the determination of the goals. In addition, within this study, we assessed Turkey’s current situation regarding integrated coastal zone management and suggested a roadmap for evaluation and future solutions. Full article

Erosion presents a significant challenge to coastlines worldwide, and the Ilaje area in Nigeria’s Niger Delta is no different. Aggressive flooding along this shoreline has led to property damage, economic disruption, and a looming threat to the survival of riverine communities in the region. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of spatial and temporal changes in the Ilaje coastal area of Ondo state from 1986 to 2020. The analysis utilized the SCE, EPR, and LRR methods to examine shoreline changes. Additionally, spatial digitization was performed for Ayetoro, a highly susceptible coastal community, spanning from 2008 to 2023. The results indicate that approximately 86% of the coastline experienced erosion, while the remaining 14% underwent accretion. Notably, the western and central sections of the coastline emerged as the areas most vulnerable to erosion. Ayetoro, situated centrally, faces dire circumstances. The interplay of natural geomorphic processes and human activities played a role in driving these changes. Beyond the immediate physical alterations, erosion has reverberated through the local ecosystems, livelihoods, and infrastructure, posing risks to numerous communities. This study emphasizes the need for urgent actions through integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategies to promote coastal stability in the region. The results of the study further provide valuable insights into the need for coastal managers and planners to regularly assess the state of the coastline and proactively proffer suitable solutions to reduce rampant coastal degradation. Full article

Coastal areas are dynamic multidimensional systems challenged by the complex interactions between natural, environmental, and human-induced pressures, as well as the ever-changing climate. A comprehensive evaluation of their spatial and temporal features enables the development of effective practices required to apply integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) policies. ICZM seeks to address the vulnerability of coastal areas in an attempt to mitigate their weaknesses and increase their resilience. Hence, coastal vulnerability assessment is a prerequisite to proceed with optimal adaptation or upgrading actions. Currently, assessments are performed by considering different approaches related to dividing coastal areas into segments to observe the spatial variations of vulnerability. The present research seeks to investigate the impact of the spatial segmentation of coastal areas on the assessment of their vulnerability. To achieve this, a case study of the coastal zone of the Municipality of Thebes, located in the Northeastern Corinthian Gulf, Greece, is examined. Five segmentation approaches are applied in terms of a physical-based vulnerability assessment for two different time horizons, (a) the present and (b) the future, by incorporating the climate change impacts. This study allows for optimizing practices to estimate vulnerability parameters and obtain reliable results for practical applications while reducing time-consuming analyses. Full article

This research deals with spatial vulnerability in the coastal area of Rachgoun (Algeria), on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Over the past two decades, the coastal area of Rachgoun has been suffering from a large amount of pressure due to accelerated socioeconomic development, urbanization, tourism, fishing, and agriculture. The main objective of this study is to visualize the coastal vulnerability of Rachgoun using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). A multidisciplinary approach that integrates geological, physical, and socioeconomic vulnerability was adopted. The selected parameters for the study include lithology, elevation, slope, shoreline change, significant wave height, population density, tourist density, land use/land cover (LULC), road network density, proximity to coast, distance from river, people’s awareness, and designated conservation areas and cultural heritage. Data from AlSat-2 Satellite imagery, aerial photography, topographic maps, and field surveys were processed. Spatial modeling was conducted through the MCDM approach and geographic information systems (GIS) to develop two sub-indices: the natural vulnerability index (CVI_N) and the socioeconomic vulnerability index (CVI_S). The combination of the two sub-indices allowed us to deduce the integrated coastal vulnerability index (ICVI). The outcomes present a coastal vulnerability map with a spatial resolution of 10 m of the identified problematic area. This map can guide decision-makers in implementing an effective integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategy. Full article

Resilience of coastal communities is increasingly required to adjust to the effects of climate change and its coast-related threats. Climate change is a major global threat to the environment, economy, and health of urban coastal lowlands. Flooding risks from both rising sea levels and increases in the frequency and severity of storm surges are considered to be amongst the most threatening consequences associated with climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of socio-economic preparedness of low-lying urbanized towns in Malta for the impacts of coastal flooding through the triangulation of stakeholders’ participation from three sectors: the business community, local councils, and specialized experts from the governmental and private sectors. The study also included field collection of elevation data for each locality to capture the businesses’ distribution in relation to their height above sea level along the urban waterfront. One-way analysis of variance and NVivo were used to test and compare the business owners’ responses and the experts’ feedback, respectively. The main findings from the business community suggest that there are no long-term contingency plans or strategies in place to address potential flooding impacts from rising sea levels and storm surges, and that the risks of driving owners out of business is high. From the feedback received by the local councils, it was observed that all of them significantly lack the physical and financial resources to effectively manage long-term coastal flooding within their locality, forcing them to completely rely on central government for any future needs caused by the impact of coastal flooding. From a central government perspective, it seems that all interviewed experts operate within a fragmented governance model, and mainly adhere to the set of responsibilities aligned with their respective roles within such a governance model. This evidence of governance disconnect requires more horizontal and vertical integration of cross-sectoral strategies to address coastal flooding, within the broader framework of integrated coastal zone management as established by the Mediterranean ICZM protocol. Full article

During the last decade, growing demand has prevailed for environmental protection and the application of sustainability principles toward the coastal environment. As the coastal zone constitutes one of the first recipients of the impacts of climate change due to the rise in sea level, integrated coastal zone management arises as a significant tool for the study of vulnerable coastal ecosystems. In combination with ICZM, the use of indicators and ecosystem services analysis couples all of the information, leading to an integrated approach and opportunities for a sustainable blue economy in coastal ecosystems. The aim of the present study is to form a protocol for a sustainable blue economy in the coastal zone, which will investigate and define the current capacity and the boundaries of a coastal ecosystem with specific characteristics of industrial activity, cultural heritage, and a protected natural environment. The case study for this research is the Gulf of Elefsis, a special sea basin in the eastern Mediterranean, located a short distance from the Athens metropolitan area. The Gulf of Elefsis is characterized by a developed coastal zone, which includes intense industrial activity, the ancient historical sights of Elefsis, the environmentally protected wetland of lake Koumoundourou, the town of Elefsis, a trade port, and growing shipbuilding activity. Full article

The clarity of marine spatial status requires a coherency between the state (territorial) sea boundary and the provincial sea boundary because both have the same sea width of 12 nautical miles. However, the two sea boundaries use different references; the state sea boundary refers to the low-water line, whereas the provincial sea boundary refers to the high-water line, so that the outer limits of the two sea boundaries differ. From the applicable provisions, the provincial sea management area may not exceed the territorial sea area. The method used to detect the overlap between the state sea and the provincial sea is the overlay method. By taking the study area of the waters of the province of East Nusa Tenggara, a difference is produced between the position of the outermost boundary of the territorial sea of the state of Indonesia and the sea area of East Nusa Tenggara province. The results of this study show differences in the boundaries of the state and provincial seas. To prevent potential issues, in the process of implementing Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and/or Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), there must be a clarity and a uniform reference between the state and provincial sea boundaries; otherwise, it will create an overlap of authorities, between the state (central) and the provincial level. This incoherency shows that this practice has not fulfilled one of the requirements in implementing ICZM, which requires the integration of all aspects, including political boundaries. Full article

Living Labs are an innovative concept that combines research, governance, and citizens, using technology and knowledge. Using design thinking techniques as a method of approach, this innovative idea builds a bridge between decision makers and stakeholders, promoting a shared vision of growth and innovation at the community level. The coastal zone is an extremely dynamic area in terms of human and natural activities. This is a particularly sensitive area to climate change, necessitating ongoing adaptation and mitigating action. This paper aims to introduce the application of the Living lab concept in the management of the coastal area of Constanta (Romania). The concept of the Living Lab means involving citizens along with public bodies and research structures. This new coastal management model will use the design thinking approach and will consider the pressures that exist between the activities that occur in the examined coastal zone. In the study, “Multi-Criteria Analysis of the Mass Tourism Management Model Related to the Impact on the Local Community in Constanța (Romania)”, published in MDPI Inventions on 28 June 2021, a coastal management model was built that took into consideration only the data given by the government. In this paper, the authors aim to expand their research by including data from independent sources, using the concept of a Living Lab. Full article

This paper aims to investigate the state of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), which is justified as a strategy for managing coastal resources with respect to increasing pressures from tourism, farming, climate change, urbanization, population growth, etc. In the case of island states, the impact of tourism and second-home development is paramount. The use of coastal areas as commons and ICZM as a governance strategy have been established for a long time; however, the implementation of ICZM has remained a challenge due to the forces of global mass tourism and unsustainable resource use in island states. This study focused on views of the coastal communities in North Cyprus, who are in constant interaction with coastal ecosystems for their livelihood. For the analytical purpose of the study, 251 survey questionnaires were administered to eight communities along the coastal areas. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistical analysis with a post hoc test. Socio-ecological systems (SES) and Ostrom’s collective action principles guided the study as the main theoretical frameworks. The study revealed that the ICZM strategy has been neglected and coastal communities are not invited to be involved in any form of ICZM. Furthermore, the study revealed the tourism development has been the major activity of the Anthropocene in coastal areas without a proactive coastal development strategy that is supposed to consider the vulnerability of coastal ecosystems. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed. Full article

Over the last few decades, Sicily has faced both erosion-related difficulties and limited Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). In particular, a lack of synergy between regional bodies, an absence of information exchange between scientific and administrative communities, the application of not-updated national and international best practices and the misrepresentation of environmental laws, have resulted in a system focused on risk erosion rather than on coastal area development. Following years without planning, in 2006 the Regione Siciliana launched PAI-coste (Hydro-Geological Asset Plan. It is interesting to note that in Italy, the “risk” known worldwide as geological or hydraulic or geomorphological is commonly denoted as “hydro-geological”, creating a pseudo-neologism correctly related to the groundwater circulation and not to surficial movements.), based on a diachronic comparison between cartographies and territorial qualitative information. However, it has proved to be static and obsolete and thus requires updating in order to determine the focal points for further planning and to shift it from an e-static to e-dynamic process via the GIS and WEBGIS tools. Sicilian legislation holds all the laws necessary for the creation of a continuous flow of information between local administrations and the regional government. The aim of this paper is to determine a regional management plan for the central government against coastal erosion with the inclusion of a seasonal monitoring program carried out by the local administration as a part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which is in turn linked to the Plan for the Administrations of Maritime State Property (PUDM; Italian acronym). The plan will be managed at the regional level and will take into account problems and particular features at a higher rather than local level. A key outcome should be the Regional Plan against Coastal Erosion, containing constant feedback from the local administration, stakeholders and citizen groups. Full article