Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aspects of coastal erosion and protection in Europe

  • Published:
Journal of Coastal Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The wide variety of physical, political, economic and cultural attributes along European coasts has led to different national management approaches to coastal protection. In all countries, this became problematic when the coast underwent anthropogenic impact and acquired relevant economic value for uses, such as, transport, military, tourism or conservation. However, common ground technology developed according to each country’s political traditions, technical restrictions and economic viability. This paper outlines the major management aspects of coastal erosion and defence in Europe and discusses the large spectrum of shore protection strategies used. It depicts the current coastal defence scene for 25 European countries, and points to the major trends and challenges faced by coastal managers, land owners and users of European coasts, as coastal management embraces both engineering as well as socio-economic aspects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • EU Directive (2014) 23.07.2014, DIRECTIVE 2014/89/EU, of the European Parliament and of the Council, Brussels

  • Anand KV, Sundar V, Sannasiraj SA (2011) Hydodynamics characteristics of curved-front seawall models compared with vertical seawall under regular waves. J Coast Res 27:1103–1112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anthony EJ, Sabatier F (2013) France. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 227–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Berriolo G (1985) Metodi di difesa delle spiagge in La gestione delle aree costiere In: Pranzini E (ed) Edizione delle Autonomie, Roma, 145–171

  • Bowman D, Ferri S, Pranzini E (2007) Efficacy of beach dewatering - Alassio. Italy Coast Eng 54:791–800

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brøndsted J (1965) The Vikings Penguin Books Pelican, Middlesex

  • CERC (1996) History and heritage of coastal engineering ASCE, New York

  • Charlier RH (1955) Belgian coastal erosion. Prof Geogr 7(2):10–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charlier RH (2013) Belgium. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 158–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Church JA, White NJ (2006) A 20th century acceleration in global sea-level rise. Geophys Res Lett 33, L01602. doi:10.1029/2005GL024826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ciavola P, Vicinanza D and Fontana E (2008) Beach drainage as a form of shoreline stabilization: case studies in Italy Proc. 31th Int. Conf. on Coastal Engineering Hamburg, 2646–2658

  • COST 638 (2009) Monitoring Progress Report (http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/essem/Actions/638) Accessed 12 May 2014

  • Dias JMA (1990) A evolução actual do litoral Português. Geonovas 11:15–28

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2001a) Assessment of plans and projects significantly affecting Natura 2000 sites: Methodological guidance on the provisions of Article 6(3) and 6(4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg

  • EC (2001b) Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001L0042) Accessed 13 May 2014

  • EC (2004) Development of a Guidance Document on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Coastal Erosion Final Report DGENV European Commission, (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/iczm/pdf/coastal_erosion_fin_rep.pdf) Accessed 14 Aug 2014

  • EUCC (2004) Coastal Guide (http://www.coastalguide.org/links/cme.html) Accessed 14 Aug 2014

  • Franco L (1996) History of coastal engineering in Italy History and heritage of coastal engineering Amer Soc Civ Eng New York, 275–335

  • Fredsøe J, Engesgaard P, Sørensen P (2009) Modelling of flow through a vertical perforated pipe in the beach, and the morphodynamic interpretation: the Pressure Equalization Module system Coastal. Dynamics 09:1–17

  • Garbrecht G (1985) Wasser – Vorrat, Bedarf und Nutzung in Geschichte und Gegenwart Deutsches Museum Kulturgeschichte der Naturwissenschaften und. Technik - Rororo Sachbuch, Hamburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Goryachkin Y (2013) Ukraine. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 413–426

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson H, Brampton A, Capobianco M, Dette HH, Hamm L, Laustrup C, Lechua A, Spanhoff R (2002) Beach nourishment projects, practices, and objectives - a European overview. Coast Eng 47:81–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houston JR (2013) The economic value of beaches - a 2013 update. Shore Beach 81(1):1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston JR, Dean RG (2013) Beach nourishment provides a legacy for future generations. Shore Beach 81(3):3–30

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2013) Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis (http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/) Accessed 13 May 2014

  • Jakobsen P and Brøgger C (2007) Coastal protection based on Pressure Equalization Modules (PEM) Proc Int Coastal Symp Gold Coast (http://www.shore.dk/ICS2007%20Paper%20Poul%20Jakobsen.pdf). Accessed 11 Oct 2013

  • Jensen J, Schwarzer K (2013) Germany. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 108–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson M, Hanson H (2013) Sweden. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 31–46

    Google Scholar 

  • MSP (2008) Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy

  • Nicholls RJ, Wong PP, Burkett V, Cogignottoe J, Hay J, McLean R, Ragoonaden S and Woodroffe CD (2007) Coastal systems and low lying areas in Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof, JP, van der Linden PJ and Hanson CE. Eds. Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability - Contribution of Working Group II to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change- Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 315–356

  • Pikelj K, Dragnić V, Malovrazić N (2013) Eastern Adriatic: Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 424–444

    Google Scholar 

  • Piqueras VY (2005) Gestión del uso público según el sistema de calidad turístico Espaňol VIII Jornadas Espaňolas de Ingeniería de Costas e Puertos May 2005 Sitges 1–15 (http://personales.upv.es/vyepesp/PlayasQ.pdf) Accessed 10 Mar 2014

  • Pranzini E and Williams AT (2013) Coastal Erosion and Protection in Europe Routledge/Earthscan, London, 454 pp

  • Przyszłość P (2006) Przyszlosc ochrony brzegow morskic in Dubrawskiego R and Zawadzkiej-Kahlau E eds Instytut Morski w Gdańsku, Gdańsk

  • Salman AHPM, Strating KM (1992) European coastal dunes and their decline since 1900 EUCC, Leiden

  • Small C, Nichols RJ (2003) A global analysis of human settlement in coastal zones. J Coast Res 19(3):584–600

    Google Scholar 

  • Stive MJF, de Schipper MA, Luijendijk AP, Aarninkhof SGJ, van Gelder-Maas C, van de Thiel Vries JSM, de Vries S, Henriquez M, Mark S, Ranasinghe R (2013) A new alternative to saving our beaches from sea-level rise: the sand engine. J Coast Res 29:1001–1008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stocker TF, Qin D, Plattner G-K, Tignor MMB, Allen SK, Boschung J, Nauels A, Xia Y, Bex V, Edsy PMM (2013) Climate Change 2013 The Physical Science Basis - Working Group I - Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Summary for Policymakers IPCC, Switzerland, 27 pp

  • van der Meulen F, Salman AHPM (1996) Management of Mediterranean coastal dunes. Ocean Coast Manag 30:177–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Meulen F, van der Valk B, Arens B (2013) The Netherlands. In: Pranzini E, Williams AT (eds) Coastal erosion and protection in Europe. Routledge/Earthscan, London, pp 136–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams AT, Alveirinho-Dias J, Garcia Novo F, Garcia-Mora MR, Curr RH, Pereira A (2001) Integrated coastal dune management: checklists. Cont Shelf Res 21:1937–1960

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams AT, Davies P, Ergin A (2002) Coastal erosion at the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, UK. In: Smith JM (ed) Proc of the 28th International Conference Coastal Engineering July 2002 Cardiff World Scientific, New York, 3539–3551

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding was provided by the University of Florence and no conflict of interest exists.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Science Department, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Enzo Pranzini & Lilian Wetzel

  2. University of Wales, Trinity St David, Swansea, Wales, UK

    Allan T. Williams

  3. CICA NOVA, Nova Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal

    Allan T. Williams

Authors
  1. Enzo Pranzini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lilian Wetzel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Allan T. Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Allan T. Williams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pranzini, E., Wetzel, L. & Williams, A.T. Aspects of coastal erosion and protection in Europe. J Coast Conserv 19, 445–459 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-015-0399-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-015-0399-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation