Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea)
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 clim...
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doaj-ecc8600c249f47c8aae7925643fb372f2020-11-25T03:27:08ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412020-05-01121405140510.3390/w12051405Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea)Angela Rizzo0Vittoria Vandelli1George Buhagiar2Anton S. Micallef3Mauro Soldati4Regional Models and Geo-Hydrological Impacts (REMHI Division), Fondazione Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC), 73100 Lecce, ItalyDepartment of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, ItalyResearch and Planning Section, Marine and Storm Water Unit, Public Works Department, FRN 1700 Floriana, MaltaEuro-Mediterranean Centre on Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD), University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, MaltaDepartment of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, ItalyThe 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 characterisation 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/5/1405coastal morphodynamicsclimate changevulnerability indexGozoMalta |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Angela Rizzo Vittoria Vandelli George Buhagiar Anton S. Micallef Mauro Soldati |
spellingShingle |
Angela Rizzo Vittoria Vandelli George Buhagiar Anton S. Micallef Mauro Soldati Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) Water coastal morphodynamics climate change vulnerability index Gozo Malta |
author_facet |
Angela Rizzo Vittoria Vandelli George Buhagiar Anton S. Micallef Mauro Soldati |
author_sort |
Angela Rizzo |
title |
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) |
title_short |
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) |
title_full |
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) |
title_fullStr |
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Along the North-Eastern Sector of Gozo Island (Malta, Mediterranean Sea) |
title_sort |
coastal vulnerability assessment along the north-eastern sector of gozo island (malta, mediterranean sea) |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Water |
issn |
2073-4441 |
publishDate |
2020-05-01 |
description |
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 characterisation 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. |
topic |
coastal morphodynamics climate change vulnerability index Gozo Malta |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/5/1405 |
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