Coastal vulnerability under climate change: GIS technologies to support data management.

In-depth studies of coastal morphodynamics carried out in the light of climate change are currently performed to identify the morphological stability of coastal areas and to develop an analysis methodology applicable to different situations at various scales (i.e. sub-regional to Mediterranean scales). Hazards have been evaluated according to both the Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol signed in 2008 in Madrid and entered into force in March 2011, which has allowed the Mediterranean countries to improve the management and protection of their coastal zones and to deal with the emerging coastal environmental challenges, such as climate change.