FRANCE

 

The French research site is the French Region “Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur”. This region is exposed to coastal erosion hazards, coastal flooding and the effects of waves, for example along the Rhône Delta but also more generally in pocket beaches, along more developed sandy systems and for some cliffs. In addition, in 2011, saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers was recorded in Arles, which is located relatively far from the coast in the Rhône Delta.

 

The region is currently considering strategic relocation of some assets and infrastructures. These plans are based i.a. on an evaluation of submersion risk and thus provide insights for the decision making issues of the ADAPT project. A more local focus could be the coast from La Ciotat and Le Lavandou, where an urban regulatory document (Scot) is being developed, which involves BRGM for taking into account the coastline evolution (prospective approach).

 

Finally, we will also examine how the national coastal risks and adaptation strategies and plans interact with the local and regional decision making. These three aspects (regional, local and regional/national interactions) involve issues that are entirely in the field of the ADAPT-MED project. Therefore, the region provides a particularly interesting site for issues related to sustainable development, risk prevention and climate change adaptation.