Master Plan of solutions to mitigate the risk of coastal erosion in Calabria (Italy), a case study

This paper describes the scientific aspects analysed in the preparatory phase of a Master Plan of interventions to mitigate the risk of coastal erosion in Calabria. The Plan has recently been developed by the regional administration to define in an objective manner a scale of priorities for the planning and intervention of the medium and long-term re-equilibrium of the coastline. The analyses developed in this paper allow us to correctly evaluate, from several points of view, the consequences of possible proposed solutions, and thence to make choices based on accurate documentation and reliable analysis of the physical, environmental, social and economic aspects, all of which are closely interrelated.Such a Master Plan is necessary in Calabria both because of the geographic shape of the land, characterised by a coastline over 700 km long and which is fundamentally important to the regional economy, and also because of the presence of a significant number of past ad hoc interventions in coastal defence, often carried out by different institutional bodies, as a matter of urgency, and in areas of limited access, generally without sound or effective design or general vision of the problem, the result of which has only served to shift, in spatial and temporary terms, the problem of coastal erosion.