Mapping cumulative compound coastal risk to multi-scale climate hazards in the Mediterranean

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose A. Jiménez ◽  
Maria-Carmen Llasat ◽  
Rut Romero ◽  
Isabel Caballero ◽  
Herminia Valdemoro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Wind Gust ◽  
System Vulnerability ◽  
Decadal Scale ◽  
Climate Hazards ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p>Risk assessments in coastal zones usually address the maritime and continental domains separately by considering marine hazards and hydrometeorological extreme drivers individually. Although this may be reasonable for many coastlines, there are environments where this uncoupled approach will underestimate their overall risk to climate hazards and, in consequence, will affect the development of efficient adaptation plans. One of these environments is the Mediterranean, due to the magnitude of individual climate hazards, the frequency of compound events (it has been identified as one of the European areas with the highest probability of compound flooding), as well as the level of exposure along its coastal zone.</p><p>In this sense, there is an increasing number of studies addressing compound risks in the coastal zone, with most of them dealing with compound flooding. In this work, we adopt a complementary approach to help coastal managers to identify hotspot areas by classifying the coastal zone into management units of homogeneous cumulative compound risk. To this end, a Compound Coastal Zone Risk index has been developed which integrates the risks associated with the impact of marine and extreme hydrometeorological hazards. Here the risk is defined in basis of three components characterizing hazards, vulnerability and exposure, with the first two ones being specific to the intrinsic characteristics of each subdomain (marine and hydro-meteorological), whereas the last one characterizes exposed values of the coastal zone, being this area affected by both hazards.</p><p>The marine composite sub-index assesses the magnitude of hazards in terms of a sea-storm indicator (in terms of waves and storm-surge conditions), background decadal-scale shoreline evolution (to characterize erosion hazards), and SLR (both inundation and erosion). This is combined with an indicator that accounts for the “coastal” system vulnerability, which includes the geomorphology, beach width (which acts as buffer zone) and the existence of accommodation space at a given time, since both variables are t-dependent.</p><p>The hydrometeorological composite sub-index assesses the magnitude of hazards in terms of a rainfall indicator (to characterize short very-intense episodes, cumulative daily values and extreme events associated to a given probability), maximum wind gust and lightning density. This is combined with an indicator that accounts for the “terrestrial” system vulnerability, similar to the flash flood potential index.</p><p>All these indicators are assessed at the smallest possible spatial scale to be as accurate as possible. Then, they are integrated at municipal scale to characterize each management unit with a representative value which permits to classify them in terms of their integrated risk while retaining information on the partial contribution of each component. The final work will present the compound index in detail, as well as the partial sub-indexes, and it will be applied along about 800 km of the Spanish Mediterranean coast to identify the most risky stretches to cumulative compound climate hazards. The index is validated by comparing obtained values with damage data recorded along the study area after the impact of marine and hydrometeorological hazards.</p><p>This work has been developed in the framework of the M-CostAdapt project (FEDER/MCIU-AEI/CTM2017-83655-C2-1-2-R).</p>

Towards an integrated index on hydrometeorological risk in coastal Mediterranean Regions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria-Carmen Llasat ◽  
Tomeu Rigo ◽  
Montserrat Llasat-Botija ◽  
Maria Cortès ◽  
Joan Gilabert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Large Network ◽  
Insurance Company ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p>The Mediterranean region is a hot spot for climate and environmental changes (Cramer et al., 2018). Climate change rates currently observed and expected in future scenarios in this region, exceed the global trends for most variables. Particularly, the average annual mean temperature has risen by 1.4°C since the pre-industrial times and it is expected that it could increase more than 1°C before the end of the century. The Mediterranean coastal zone comprises 75 coastal watersheds and 224 coastal administrative regions, with a total of 46,000 km of coastline.  This coastal zone concentrates about the 50 % of the population of the Mediterranean region while also attracts millions of tourists, supports a large network of infrastructures and, also, supports a large set of coastal and marine ecosystems delivering valuable services.</p><p>Regional climatic and geographical characteristics determine the area to be frequently affected by multiple hydrometeorological hazards such as thunderstorms, floods, windstorms and marine storms. These hazards together with the existence of high values at exposure determine the Mediterranean coastal fringe to be highly vulnerable and subjected to a high risk to the impact of extreme events, which will likely be worsened due to climate change (IPCC, 2018). Due to this, long-term planning of these coastal areas requires a proper assessment of their vulnerability and risk. Usually, this has been done by considering these hazards in an independent manner, although it is clear that a more holistic and integrated approach considering their  interdependencies and feedbacks is needed.</p><p>Within this context, this work  proposes an integrated risk index to classify the Mediterranean coastal municipalities in terms of their susceptibility to be affected by multiple hydrometeorological hazards, which will be later integrated with a similar index for marine  hazards. The index will be tested for a representative Mediterranean coastal area highly affected by hydrometeorological and marine hazards, the Catalonia and Valencia coastal zone (NE Spanish Mediterranean). The indicators represent different system characteristics determining the expected risk: a) climatic, b) geomorphological and  c) impact and perception components. The selected climatic indicators used have been: return period of precipitation, number of lightning strikes and maximum wind speed. Geomorphological indicators include average slope of the catchment area and surface within the municipality. Socioeconomic indicators have been estimated from the economical compensations paid by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (the National insurance company), number of flood events that have affected each municipality estimated from their impact, and population awareness and social impact measured through analysing response in social media (tweets) to the impact of these hazards. Finally, as a matter of validation, the impact of the last flood events affecting this region is compared with the spatial distribution of the developed index.</p><p>This work has been developed in the framework of the M-CostAdapt project (FEDER/MCIU-AEI/CTM2017-83655-C2-2-R) where  the adaptability to Climate Change and natural risks of the Mediterranean coast is analysed by jointly considering natural maritime and terrestrial (hydrometeorological) hazards.</p>

scholarly journals HIGH RESOLUTION TSUNAMI MODELING AT THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF ISRAEL TOWARDS AN EARLY WARNING TSUNAMI SCENARIOS DATA BANK

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (32) ◽  
pp. 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barak Galanti ◽  
Sergiu Dov Rosen ◽  
Amos Salamon
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Tsunami Generation ◽  
Tectonic Plates ◽  
Tsunami Modelling ◽  
Poster Paper ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Tsunami Scenarios ◽  
The Impact

This poster paper presents first the a tsunami modelling investigation using the state of the art, open source tsunami model (GeoClaw), its adaptation to investigate the impact of tsunami wave generation, propagation and inundation at the Mediterranean coast of Israel using high resolution bathymetric and topographic grid , aided by additional tsunami generation modelling tools simulating the initial stages of tsunami generation by earthquake induced tectonic plates rupture and movement or by landslide on the coastal shelf, as well as visualization tools, adapted by the first author under LINUX operating system as an integral modelling package.

The contribution of shipping to air pollution in the Mediterranean region – a model evaluation study 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Fink ◽  
Volker Matthias ◽  
Matthias Karl ◽  
Ronny Petrik ◽  
Elisa Majamäki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Emission Model ◽  
Ship Emissions ◽  
Scale Models ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p>Shipping has major contribution to emissions of air pollutants like NOx and SO2 and the global maritime transport volumes are projected to increase significantly. The Mediterranean Sea is a region with dense ship traffic. Air quality observations in many cities along the Mediterranean coast indicate high levels of NO2 and particulate matter with significant contributions from ship emissions.<br>To quantify the current impact of shipping on air pollution, models for ship emissions and atmospheric transport can be applied, but model predictions may differ from observational data. To determine how well regional scale chemistry transport models simulate pollutant concentrations, the model outputs from several regional scale models were compared against each other and to measured data.<br>In the framework of the EU H2020 project SCIPPER, ship emission model STEAM and the regional scale models CMAQ and CHIMERE model were applied on a modelling domain covering the Mediterranean Sea. Modeling results were compared to air quality observations at coastal locations. The impact of shipping in the Mediterranean Sea was extracted from the model excluding shipping emissions.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Multi-scale hydrometeorological observation and modelling for flash-flood understanding

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 1871-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Braud ◽  
P.-A. Ayral ◽  
C. Bouvier ◽  
F. Branger ◽  
G. Delrieu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Runoff Generation ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. This paper presents a coupled observation and modelling strategy aiming at improving the understanding of processes triggering flash floods. This strategy is illustrated for the Mediterranean area using two French catchments (Gard and Ardèche) larger than 2000 km2. The approach is based on the monitoring of nested spatial scales: (1) the hillslope scale, where processes influencing the runoff generation and its concentration can be tackled; (2) the small to medium catchment scale (1–100 km2) where the impact of the network structure and of the spatial variability of rainfall, landscape and initial soil moisture can be quantified; (3) the larger scale (100–1000 km2) where the river routing and flooding processes become important. These observations are part of the HyMeX (Hydrological Cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) Enhanced Observation Period (EOP) and lasts four years (2012–2015). In terms of hydrological modelling the objective is to set up models at the regional scale, while addressing small and generally ungauged catchments, which is the scale of interest for flooding risk assessment. Top-down and bottom-up approaches are combined and the models are used as "hypothesis testing" tools by coupling model development with data analyses, in order to incrementally evaluate the validity of model hypotheses. The paper first presents the rationale behind the experimental set up and the instrumentation itself. Second, we discuss the associated modelling strategy. Results illustrate the potential of the approach in advancing our understanding of flash flood processes at various scales.

scholarly journals Bryozoa from the Mediterranean coast of Israel

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. SOKOLOVER ◽  
P. D. TAYLOR ◽  
M. ILAN
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
The Impact

The impact of global warming on the composition of marine biotas is increasing, underscoring the need for better baseline information on the species currently present in given areas. Little is known about the bryozoan fauna of Israel; the most recent publication concerning species from the Mediterranean coast was based on samples collected in the 1960s and 1970s. Since that time, not only have the species present in this region changed, but so too has our understanding of bryozoan taxonomy. Here we use samples collected during the last decade to identify 47 bryozoan species, of which 15 are first records for the Levantine basin. These include one new genus and species (Crenulatella levantinensis gen. et. sp. nov.), two new species (Licornia vieirai sp. nov. and Trematooecia mikeli sp. nov.), and two species that may be new but for which available material is inadequate for formal description (Reteporella sp. and Thalamoporella sp.). In addition, Conopeum ponticum is recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. Non-indigenous species make up almost one-quarter of the 47 species identified. All of the non-indigenous species are native to tropical and subtropical regions, implying a change of the Levant bryozoan biota from a temperate to a more tropical state, probably related to both higher temperature and salinity and to the opening of the Suez Canal connecting the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.  

Coastal zone dynamics - as a result of changes at the border of three environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleksii Batyrev ◽  
Olga Andrianova ◽  
Radomir Belevich ◽  
Michael Skipa
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
The World ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Coastal Land

<p>Coastal zone research is becoming increasingly important because the impact of climate change is most significant here. The state of coastal regions is determined by the variability in three contact media (geological, water, and air). Evaluation of level changes on the coasts of various parts of the World Ocean (the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic and North Seas, and the Atlantic coasts in Brazil and France) over a long period of time shows various fluctuations with an upward trend in recent decades.</p><p>To highlight the factors that determine the seashores' level fluctuations, three contact media parameters were considered on the example of the western part of the Black Sea. Calculations, analysis, and comparison of trends in the variability of hydrometeorological characteristics (air and water temperatures, precipitation, and river discharge) and sea level over a period of more than 100 years have been carried out.</p><p>To assess the intensity of fluctuations of the coastal land along the western coast of the Black Sea, the series of level heights were considered at 6 Ukrainian stations: Vylkove, Chornomorsk (Ilyichevsk), Odesa-port, port Yuzhne, Ochakiv and Sevastopol (partially used as a benchmark), at 2 stations on the Romanian coast: Constanta and Sulina, and 2 stations on the Bulgarian coast: Burgas and Varna. Estimates of the dynamics of the land for the stations of this region's coastal zone for more than a 100-year period are calculated, and it is shown in which way changes in sea level are a consequence of the processes occurring in the coastal land and at the bottom.</p><p>Comparison of the years with extreme fluctuations in the sea level with the years of the global El Niño phenomenon showed that one of the causes of the observed disturbances in the water and air environments is the distant manifestations of this phenomenon.</p><p>Level fluctuations, both in the Black Sea and in the World Ocean, are synchronous at low-frequency scales (their period is more than 5 years) since global climatic processes on our planet influence them; short-term fluctuations are distinguished by regional features and are created under the influence of local factors (tectonic, geophysical, hydrostatic, etc.).</p><p>Modeling and predicting changes in the coastal zone of various parts of the World Ocean requires continuation of systematic observations of sea-level fluctuations, hydrometeorological characteristics, and seismic conditions in regions with the longest data series; it's crucial for the Black Sea as well for the Mediterranean, Baltic, North Seas, and Atlantic shores.</p>

Economic impact of language tourism on mature sun and sand destinations: The case of Alicante (Spain)

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 923-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Barra ◽  
Bartolomé Marco ◽  
Cristina Cachero
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Tourism Destination ◽  
Diversification Strategy ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this research is to measure the economic impact of language tourism in a medium-sized Spanish city, Alicante, which has been traditionally considered a sun and sand destination on the Mediterranean coast. This analysis aims to highlight the importance of developing a tourism diversification strategy and the desirability of promoting alternative forms of tourism. This investigation demonstrates the significant economic impact that language tourism has on a consolidated tourism destination as Alicante, which is higher, in relative terms, than the impact generated by conventional tourism. Based on the findings, the implications of the study are also discussed.

scholarly journals Multi-scale hydrometeorological observation and modelling for flash flood understanding

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 3733-3761 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Braud ◽  
P.-A. Ayral ◽  
C. Bouvier ◽  
F. Branger ◽  
G. Delrieu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Runoff Generation ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. This paper presents a coupled observation and modelling strategy aiming at improving the understanding of processes triggering flash floods. This strategy is illustrated for the Mediterranean area using two French catchments (Gard and Ardèche) larger than 2000 km2. The approach is based on the monitoring of nested spatial scales: (1) the hillslope scale, where processes influencing the runoff generation and its concentration can be tackled; (2) the small to medium catchment scale (1–100 km2), where the impact of the network structure and of the spatial variability of rainfall, landscape and initial soil moisture can be quantified; (3) the larger scale (100–1000 km2), where the river routing and flooding processes become important. These observations are part of the HyMeX (HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment) enhanced observation period (EOP), which will last 4 years (2012–2015). In terms of hydrological modelling, the objective is to set up regional-scale models, while addressing small and generally ungauged catchments, which represent the scale of interest for flood risk assessment. Top-down and bottom-up approaches are combined and the models are used as "hypothesis testing" tools by coupling model development with data analyses in order to incrementally evaluate the validity of model hypotheses. The paper first presents the rationale behind the experimental set-up and the instrumentation itself. Second, we discuss the associated modelling strategy. Results illustrate the potential of the approach in advancing our understanding of flash flood processes on various scales.

Marina el-Alamein (Egypt): A Topographical Study and the Functioning of an Ancient Provincial Town on the Mediterranean Coast

2020 ◽  
pp. 59-72
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Jakubiak
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Small Town ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Port Area ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Residential Quarters ◽  
The Town

Marina el-Alamein, a small town situated around 100 km west of Alexandria, is a good example of a middle-sized settlement flourishing during the first three centuries AD. The present paper analyses the urban layout and plan of the settlement. The main hypothesis proposed here is based on the results of excavations conducted on the site since 1986. Thanks to the observations from the field, in addition to analyses of the already excavated structures, it was possible to reconstruct the street system and divide the urban space into three zones: the coastal zone (port area), the residential quarters, and the necropolis. All of them were situated on three natural terraces. The northern part, located along the seashore, was occupied by the port and warehouses. On the second terrace, wealthy residential quarters with a relatively large bathhouse complex were spread along the coast. Finally, a large necropolis with several types of monumental tombs created a border between the town and the desert.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document