Management of the Effects of Coastal Storms

A large part of the world s coastlines consists of sandy beaches and dunes that may undergo dramatic changes during storms. Extreme storm events in some cases dominate the erosion history of the coastline and may have dramatic impacts on densely populated coastal areas. Policy, research and historical background are essential elements that need to be interconnected for effective coastal planning and management. This book discusses this framework, with Chapter 1 providing an insight into policy settings and science-policy interactions in the area of coastal risks related to storms and flooding, and integrated coastal zone management. This is followed by a review of the current understanding of the processes generating extreme coastal events, the morphological evolution of coastlines during and after the events, and the methods for monitoring the process as it occurs or for post-event appraisal. The final chapter discusses the importance of historical approaches regarding coastal threats, taking the Xynthia storm as an example.

A large part of the world's coastlines consists of sandy beaches and dunes that may undergo dramatic changes during storms. Extreme storm events in some cases dominate the erosion history of the coastline and may have dramatic impacts on densely populated coastal areas. Policy, research and historical background are essential elements that need to be interconnected for effective coastal planning and management.This book discusses this framework, with Chapter 1 providing an insight into policy settings and science-policy interactions in the area of coastal risks related to storms and flooding, and integrated coastal zone management. This is followed by a review of the current understanding of the processes generating extreme coastal events, the morphological evolution of coastlines during and after the events, and the methods for monitoring the process as it occurs or for post-event appraisal. The final chapter discusses the importance of historical approaches regarding coastal threats, taking the Xynthia storm as an example.

Preface ixChapter 1 Coastal Storms and Flooding: Regulatory Framework and Science-Policy Interactions 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Natural hazards and risks in coastal zones: needs to build-up a "culture of risks" 41.2.1 Introduction 41.2.2 Contribution of environmental policy to the development of a "culture of risks" 51.2.3 Toward an integrated management of coastal zones 91.2.4 Regional instruments 101.2.5 Emerging "culture of risk" beyond the environment legal framework? 131.2.6 Ecosystem services: a new orientation of environmental policies or an opportunity of risk socialization? 141.2.7 The international society facing (coastal) natural hazards: between protection of human rights and challenges of international security 151.3 Policy background 171.3.1 International policies 171.3.2 EU policies 191.4 Science-policy interactions 261.4.1 Scientific foundation of coastal risk policies 261.4.2 EU Scientific framework in support of coastal risk-related policies 281.4.3 Identification of research needs in the coastal risk-related policy sectors 291.4.4 Interactions with the scientific community 311.4.5 Science-based development of an integrated coastal risks policy 341.5 Research trends 351.5.1 Introduction 351.5.2 EU-funded instruments 361.5.3 Examples of research trends 381.6 Science-policy interfacing 441.6.1 Linking different actors 441.6.2 Governance and knowledge transfer 451.6.3 Networking needs 481.6.4 Who are the users of research? 491.6.5 Building-up of a "Community of Users" 501.7 Conclusions 57Chapter 2 Techniques for the Assessment of Coastal Storm Risk 612.1 Introduction 612.2 Definition of coastal risk 652.3 Hazard time series in Europe and beyond 662.3.1 Short term: hours to days 702.3.2 Medium- and long term 712.4 Evaluation of coastal vulnerability 722.4.1 Evaluation on the basis of critical thresholds 722.4.2 Coastal risk maps 732.4.3 Topographic and bathymetric surveys 762.4.4 Estimation of wave parameters 822.4.5 Wave set-up 832.4.6 Wave run-up 852.4.7 Numerical models for beach dynamics 882.4.8 Development of vulnerability zones 892.4.9 Development of damage curves 902.4.10 Input-output economic model 912.4.11 Climate change scenario and predicted losses 912.5 Toward disaster risk reduction 922.5.1 Monitoring the storm impact 922.5.2 Operational Early Warning Systems for surges 962.5.3 Operational Early Warning Systems for beach morphological changes 1042.6 Outlook for the future: a EU-wide system? 1062.7 Conclusions 108Chapter 3 Xynthia, February 2010: Autopsy of a Foreseable Catastrophe 1113.1 Introduction 1113.2 Scenario of the crisis 1123.2.1 French coastlines 1123.2.2 La Faute-sur-Mer: "martyred" city 1173.2.3 The "unprecedented dogma" 1213.3 The historical verdict 1243.3.1 At the national and European levels 1243.3.2 The example of La Faute-sur-Mer 1283.4 The construction of the coastal vulnerability 1343.4.1 The time of the precautionary principle (Middle Age - 1900) 1343.4.2. The choice to live close to the sea (1900-2016). 1383.4.3 A national symbol: La Faute-sur-Mer 143Conclusion 149Bibliography 153Index 171