Coastal issues: Resources for local government

Curated international case studies of ways councils are tackling the challenges of coastal areas head on. Examples this week come from Greece, Slovenia, Denmark and Estonia.

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Case studies on innovative policy to tackle coastal issues

GREECE: Greek island uses robots to clear seafront
In 2022, the municipality of Alonissos launched a special cleaning operation of its surrounding ports, beaches and reefs. Teaming up with a local NGO, the council employed underwater robots to clean its coasts and remove abandoned fishing nets. These robots were able to provide additional information on the microplastic concentration of Alonissos’s waters. Across the two-day clean-up, some 900kg of nets and hundreds of bottles, fishing lines and other forms of rubbish were pulled out.
The Mayor

DENMARK: City uses local construction materials to create reef
The City of Aarhus has constructed an artificial reef in an effort to improve local marine biodiversity. The reef is situated in an abandoned former container port, and was constructed from spare construction materials from a nearby ring road construction project. Some 2,000 tonnes of rock has been placed in the water as a new habitat for algae, anemones and mussels.
The Mayor

SLOVENIA: The bicycle ambulances providing rapid and mobile services in beach town
For the past six years, the small coastal city of Izola, Slovenia has offered a unique service: Paramedics on bicycles. Originally created to provide support for a marathon, the cycling response service was kept on due to its mobility, with paramedics riding on electric bikes especially suited to unpaved and beachfront areas. These paramedics are on hand every weekend during the summer and during holidays between 9am to 5pm.
The Mayor

ESTONIA: City converts cigarette butts to 3D printer material to clean up beach front
To celebrate Baltic Sea Day, two years ago the municipality of North Tallin installed special smart trash bins for cigarette butts. These bins, launched as part of a two month trial, have the capacity to compost butts into 3D printing material, while helping to cut down on litter and pollution on the beachfront and waters. Cigarette butts are a sizeable issue in the Baltics as they are one of the most widespread forms of marine litter. Discussing the issue, deputy mayor Joosep Vimm said “every year, almost 80 tons of cigarette filters end up in nature. They do not decompose, and the toxic substances contained in them once again end up in the arc through marine animals”.
The Mayor

Resources on coastal areas and issues

Article: Revitalising Britain’s coastal towns through strategic urban planning
In this article, the LUC breaks down the problems Britain’s coastal towns currently face and how informed and sensitive urban design and town planning can help to them thrive.

Article: Transforming Coastal Towns: Improving life by the sea
The LUC also developed this briefing on their work with Arun District Council to revitalise Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, two once-thriving seaside resorts. The work seeks to boost communities, town centres, and resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Resource: Understanding Living Shorelines
This resource from the US Government agency NOAA fisheries covers living shorelines, a natural infrastructure solution to erosion. Living shorelines are protected coastal verges made up of natural materials like sand, rock and plants. While concrete seawalls can impede the growth of flora and fauna, living shorelines grow over time.

Case study: Reef Design – Meet the The Innovative Erosion Mitigation Units
Based on a case study in the City of Greater Geelong, Australia, this article explores a solution to coastal erosion: Erosion Mitigation Units (EMUs). EMUs are structures designed digitally from concrete and recycled local oyster shells, submerged and anchored to the sand to ensure resilience against waves and help reduce erosion, while also doubling as new habitats for marine life, and new places for snorkelers to explore.

Case study: Light installation in Galway shows terrifying rising sea level projection for the next 150 years
This article covers an art project in Galway, Ireland launched between Finnish artists and local scientists, academics, and climate authorities, as well as Galway City Council. The project uses a light installation to illustrate the impacts of the sea level rising by one metre, a moderate climate change scenario.

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