Unveiling coastal adaptation demands: Exploring erosion-induced spatial imperatives on the Catalan Coast (NW Mediterranean)

Abstract

The Catalan coast, located in the NW Mediterranean (Spain), is a highly urbanized area facing a considerable risk of coastal squeeze due to extensive urban development, coastal dynamics, and a generally retreating shoreline. Given these factors, implementing adaptation measures is essential to mitigate both present and future impacts. Among the available measures, those creating open space are particularly beneficial for long-term sustainability, as they help reduce coastal impacts while offering additional benefits, such as boosting biodiversity and supporting coastal ecosystems. This study presents a framework for managed retreat planning that estimates the inland accommodation space needed for beach reconstruction in response to erosion at multiple scales. The framework, tailored to typical Mediterranean conditions, is applied to the Catalan coast under various climate scenarios at projected time horizons. Results indicate that a substantial portion of the Catalonia’s sedimentary coastline may eventually require setbacks that exceed current legal boundaries (the Maritime Terrestrial Public Domain). This finding suggests that current delineations, especially in areas of severe erosion, may become obsolete in the near future.