Coastal vulnerability assessment in the central Mediterranean area: A case study of the Maltese coast

Coastal areas are primarily exposed to a range of coastal hazards, including both climate- and marine-related processes, due to their close proximity to the sea. In this context, the Maltese Islands, located in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, are prone to be affected by various coastal risks in the form of erosion, flooding, landslides, storm surges and, on a longer-term, permanent inundation as a consequence of the ongoing sea level rise. These Islands have evolved over time from a complex interplay of marine, morphodynamic and tectonic processes resulting in highly diversified coastal landforms and scenic landscapes.

Considering primary and secondary data sources, this study investigates the coastal vulnerability of the north-west coast Malta with respect to a series of hazardous processes by applying an index-based approach supported by extensive field surveys. This stretch of coastal area attracts a large number of visitors each year, raising serious concerns about coastal vulnerability, thus, challenging sustainable management of coastal touristic assets.  In the first phase of this research, a set of indicators pertaining to the local land use, anthropogenic, and natural assets were used in order to estimate the level of coastal exposure. The following phase entailed the zonation of the areas exposed to rock falls, and storm surges, erosion and sea level rise, which enabled us to estimate the overall coastal vulnerability. The results show that the bay areas of the north-west coast of Malta dominated by tourist activities can be considered as the most vulnerable zones and targets of different climate- and marine-related impacts. These are the areas where it would be challenging to prevent future impacts if no adaptation and sustainable management strategies are taken into account.