The platform consists of an interactive online tool “Mon Littoral Provence-Côte d’Azur” whose design results from multiple consultations with stakeholders and training on using the platform. The creation of the platform arises from two feasibility studies commissioned by the DREAL. A workshop involving 22 representative structures (State services and operators, local authorities, consultancies, researchers, urban planning agencies, innovative companies, NGOs and committed citizens) highlighted the priority functions to develop and initiated the collection of available and usable data among stakeholders. Stakeholders were assisted via meetings in uploading their data into the platform (or the DataSud interface). At the same time, editorial work was undertaken by the DREAL and the CRIGE, with the support of a small group comprising two lecturers from Aix-Marseille University and representatives of the CEREMA and the BRGM. After user tests, the website was officially launched in September 2020.

Therefore, “Mon Littoral” supports local actors in their strategic reflections and decisions on short-term issues relating to coastal development and long-term adaptation to climate change in coastal territories. Thus, the platform encompasses the following objectives:

• To promote the monitoring of coastal areas in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, and to contribute to their integrated management,
• To communicate on the evolution of the region’s shoreline,
• To strengthen the expertise and predictive capacity of organisations and develop studies via data sharing,
• To improve the implementation of policies by integrating information from different sources and translating it visually and spatially,
• Encourage the pooling of frames of reference and business data, and in doing so, save public funds
• To make data accessible under the Arrhus Convention, the European INSPIRE Directive and the 2016 Law for a Digital Republic.

As for 2021, the main objective is to develop phase 2 of the project through further stakeholder mobilisation in Bouches-du-Rhône and Alpes-Maritimes to support data collection on a regional scale. More specific content will also be produced (coastal development, capitalisation of feedback, coordination of the coastal stakeholder community, etc.).

Agreements have been signed with various actors in the research sector and business clusters to specifically work on guiding topics for integrated coastal management policies in support of local actors.

Cooperating with local authorities, ESPACE is carrying out an exploratory PRECOAST study on the social representation of coastal risks and adaptation strategies to understand stakeholders’ perspectives, identify the basis of these representations and explore to what extent they are evolving. The contribution of this study will facilitate the identification of complementary actions to be carried out in the “Data collection and sharing” section of the platform. In turn, it should support investment in the “Exchanges of practices and Animation of the network of actors” sector.

The Mer Méditerranée division is developing a directory of public and private economic operators who provide sustainable and innovative solutions for integrated coastal management. 

CEREGE is developing a research agreement called “Preparing the environmental transition of eroding beaches in the PACA region”, which explores the evolution of eroding beaches in response to different soft solutions implemented on the coast.

CEREMA produces a series of vulnerability indicators to sea level rise and erosion on the sandy areas of the PACA coastline, apart from the Camargue area.