Territorial solidarity and resilience to marine submersion (SOLTER)

Syndicat Mixte du SCoT (municipalities of Vendres, Valras-Plage, Sérignan, Portiragnes, Vias, Cap d’Agde) – France

Dates : 2012-2015

Project leaders :Ministry of Ecological Transition, Sustainable Management of the Coast Programme (Liteau), National Funds for the Planning and Development of the Territory

Classification

Risks

Solutions

Actors

Costs

Summary

“The increase in marine submersion risks calls for adaptation measures to reduce the vulnerability of exposed stakes, particularly via the relocation of activities and goods” (MEDDTL, 2012, National strategy for integrated coastline management. Towards the relocation of activities and goods, Report, 20p). In light of this, the SOLTER research-action programme contributes to the implementation and acceptability of relocations and climate change adaptation measures to address the risks associated with rising sea levels. Through this multidisciplinary partnership programme, the idea is to explore and propose ways to improve the resilience of vulnerable territories, in particular on the sandy coast of Languedoc, France.

The SOLTER research programme was carried out on the pilot site of the Syndicat Mixte du SCoT du Biterrois, which comprises 87 municipalities, including six coastal cities, where a so-called Arc Rétro-Littoral zone has been defined. Several structuring objectives were associated with the definition of this Arc: 

  • Defining a network where development choices are applied to integrate the ecological, landscape and environmental properties of the area
  • Promoting the qualitative development of the tourist economy and the sustainable attractiveness of the area  
  • Establishing an appropriate coastal protection strategy that anticipates managed retreat measures

Actions

The SOLTER research-action programme focuses on the acceptability of relocations and climate change adaptation measures in the face of rising sea levels. Through this multidisciplinary partnership programme, the aim is to explore and propose ways to improve the resilience of vulnerable territories, particularly on the sandy coast of Languedoc. In line with this, several dimensions have been studied: territorial solidarity scales, the evolution of submersion risks, beach frequentation, inhabitants’ perceptions and preferences, particularly regarding implementation methods and conditions of equity and justice. 

An analysis of territorial solidarity was carried out, combining two approaches: (i) the perceived (survey) and actual (experimental economy) solidarity of the inhabitants (individual solidarity) and (ii) the collective solidarity between municipalities.

A survey on the preferences of relocation modalities was also conducted. This survey allowed for the prioritisation and evaluation of preferences regarding the implementation of relocations. The aim was to assess the respondents’ willingness to pay for different relocation scenarios that combined several attributes (e.g. consultation modalities, the implementation period of the relocation policy, size of the area concerned and additional cost).

Through a participatory prospective procedure, financial and/or regulatory tools were tested among stakeholders to examine their appropriation by populations to facilitate relocations in the long term.

A device to assess beach uses has been developed to provide a continuous behavioural analysis. The tool is particularly relevant to the region, as coastal tourism accounts for nearly 60% of overall tourism in the Mediterranean region. Beach uses’ evaluations are critical for planners, providing quantitative data for the design of strategic planning and the sustainable development of tourism.

The SOLTER project proposes an innovative protocol for implementing relocations based on an integrated and territorial approach (institutional environment, planning tools, engineering assistance, political support, funding sources etc.).  

Spatial and temporal zoning based on the risk’s progressiveness was developed ex-ante. The so-called Arc Rétro-Littoral was defined between the six coastal municipalities to determine an operational green and blue coastal grid where an adapted coastal protection strategy was designed to anticipate managed retreat. This protocol builds on a long-term and dynamic approach of managed retreat by distinguishing several sub-zones, depending on their exposure over time (20, 40 and 60 years).

Therefore, the protocol proposes innovative compensation mechanisms coupled with a temporary use for inhabitants or activities to (i) reduce the acquisition burden (ii) propose a progressive approach facilitating the population’s acceptance. The proposed arrangements were as follows: ownership dismantling, temporary occupation permits, acquisition of bare ownership, fixed-term usufruct, temporary occupation permits for individuals and promoters, indemnification of part of the value, owners are allowed to occupy the property free of charge until the end of the term, occupants pay a fee which contributes to the repayment of the property acquisition costs.

After preliminary meetings with the municipalities and a diagnosis workshop to map the priority issues and identify the territory’s resources and constraints, a workshop on adapting to climate change was held in May 2015 in the six coastal municipalities of the SCoT du Biterrois. These workshops brought together state services, regional and local authorities, civil society representatives, economic actors.

Outcomes

Discussions highlighted several guiding principles:

  • Densify and reorganise the intake of the hinterland
  • Carry out a policy of proximity relocation with areas of retreat not too far from the coast (5 km maximum) or from a major facility
  • Have a well designed mobility system to facilitate access to the sea by diversifying transportation (car, electric shuttle, railway, bicycle, waterway…)
  • Implement recreational facilities at sea to diversify services and increase attractiveness
  • Take into account the declining interest in holiday residences (mobility needs, link to property and taxation)
  • Consider how to adapt to live with the risk
  • Invent new resilient and mobile architectural forms

The SOLTER project proposes an innovative protocol for implementing relocations based on an integrated and territorial approach (institutional environment, planning tools, engineering assistance, political support, funding sources etc.).  This protocol builds on a long-term and dynamic approach of managed retreat by distinguishing several sub-zones, depending on their exposure over time (20, 40 and 60 years).

The suggested implementation protocol of relocations builds on several guiding principles: 

  • The imperative to consider jointly, on a territorial scale, protection, mitigation and relocation measures of particularly vulnerable sectors.
  • The necessity to define a time horizon at which risk exposure will be socially unsustainable (in terms of personal safety and damage frequency) and to rely on hazard mapping to delimit the exposed areas through time.
  • The importance of a progressive implementation approach that includes a solid consultation and awareness-raising phase, as well as of defining new forms of temporary occupation.
  • The need to identify funding sources and to consider the economic rationale, in terms of revenue and avoided costs, to legitimise the collective interest of these operations.
  • The urgent need for significant and sustained political support, together with the definition of governance suited to these long-term programmes. 

Partners

Technical partners: SCoT du Biterrois,  DREAL, ART Dev, CNRS, EID Méditerranée, INEA, IRSTEA, BRGM, CEARC, Département de l’Hérault, LAMETA, Syndicat Mixte Baie de Somme Grand Littoral Picard

Resources