Decision Making and Coastal Risks: A Good Practice Guide

The objective of this handbook is to provide a Good Practice Guide to facilitate the inclusion of coastal risk into decisions made in the coastal zone. This handbook is aimed at those involved in coastal planning and decision making. It is designed to be used with the information available from the ANCORIM project on coastal risks. The handbook is also designed to be accessible to a wider audience who wish to improve their knowledge of coastal risks and how they relate to decision making in the coastal zone.

The handbook outlines the key coastal risks identified in the western coastal regions of Europe. It outlines the existing governance at international and national levels and identifies regional models and best practices within and adjacent to the ANCORIM project members. The handbook also identifies where coastal risk can be included within decision making, the obligations of coastal decision makers, and the applicability of the handbook’s information to the day-to-day practices and requirements of coastal decision makers and planners.

The Coastal risks or hazards addressed by the handbook are: (i) Coastal erosion, (ii) Wind damage, (iii) Coastal flooding, (iv) Water quality, (v) Climate change, (vi) Sea level rise, and (vii) Natural disasters, including tsunami.