Spatial Analysis on Length of Coastline Occupied by Human-Made Structures
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Towards a Marine Good Environmental Status (GES) in Albania Spatial Analysis on Length of Coastline Occupied by Human-made Structures The GEF-funded project “Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach in the Adriatic Sea through Marine Spatial Planning” (GEF Adriatic) is carried out across the Adriatic- Ionian region with focus on two countries: Albania and Montenegro. The main objective of the project is to restore the ecological balance of the Adriatic Sea through the use of the ecosystem approach and marine spatial planning. Furthermore, the project aims to accelerate the implementation of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Protocol and facilitate the implementation of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme. Just as importantly, it will contribute to the achievement of the good environmental status of the entire Adriatic. The project is jointly led by UNEP/MAP, PAP/RAC and SPA/RAC. In Albania, the project implementation is coordinated by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment with National Agency for Protected Areas. The project duration is from 2018 to 2021. Logos en anglais, avec versions courtes des logos ONU Environnem ent et PAM La version longue des logos ONU Environnem ent et PAM doit être utilisée dans les docum ents ou juridiques. L a v ersion cour te des logos est destin e tous les produits de com m unication tourn s vers le public. Ministry of Tourism and Environment Bulevardi “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Nr.1, 1001, Tiranë, Albania E: [email protected] National Agency of Protected Areas Bulevardi “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Nr.1, 1001, Tiranë, Albania E: [email protected], [email protected] Author: Elson Salihaj, national GIS expert Graphic design: Old School S.P. Cover image: Polina Rytova @unsplash.com The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. This study was prepared by PAP/RAC, SPA/RAC, UNEP/MAP, National Agency of Protected Areas of Albania and Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania within the GEF Adriatic Project and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Spatial Analysis on Length of Coastline Occupied by Human-made Structures Table of contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Previous analyses ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 3 Albania's coastal area ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 4 Method and input data .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5 Results ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 6 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 7 References ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 8 Additional chapters needed for GES Assessment ............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 8.1 Impacts of coastal artificialization ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 8.2 How to approach the GES assessment ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 8.3 Gaps and development needs .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 8.4 Connections between Coastal Ecosystems and Landscape and other ecological objectives ......................................................................................................................... 15 i List of figures Figure 3.1. Administrative borders of Municipalities in Coastal region (Green: State Borders, Blue: Coastal zone) ......................................................................................... 4 Figure 4.1. Figure depicting changes in the same area between 2015 (orthophoto on the left) and 2020 (Google Earth imagery) .................................................................. 6 Figure 5.1. Topographic map of Albania (1:200,000) on the left, with state border and coastline (on the right) ............................................................................................. 7 Figure 5.2. Coastline delineation by type(artificial/natural) – Albania ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 Figure 5.3. The type of coastal artificial structures in Albania ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Figure 8.1. Example: the base imagery is from 1996. The yellow line shows the coastline border in the actual year ..................................................................................... 15 List of tables Table 5.1. Length of coastline in Albania ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Table 5.2. Length of artificial coastline in Albania, according to type of structures ......................................................................................................................................... 9 ii Spatial Analysis on Length of Coastline Occupied by Human-made Structures 1 Introduction Monitoring the length of coastline subjected to physical disturbance due to the influence of human-made structures (and its trend), is of paramount importance to preserve habitats, biodiversity, and help preventing impacts of coastal erosion and flooding, as well as for its importance in land-sea interactions. Until now there has not been systematic monitoring on Mediterranean level regarding this, in particular not quantitatively based monitoring on a wider Mediterranean basis. That is why UN Environment/MAP has introduced the Ecological Objective 8: "Coastal ecosystems and landscapes" within the application of the Ecosystem Approach to assess the level of the environmental status of sea and coasts (Good Environmental Status - GES). This Ecological Objective is specificity in relation to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: it is based on a number of articles of the Protocol on the ICZM in the Mediterranean, in particular on Article 8 and Article 16. Ecological Objective 8 and its Common Indicator 16 (“Length of coastline subject to physical disturbance due to the influence of human-manmade structures“) are an integral part of the UNEP/MAP Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP), also developed for Albania within the GEF Adriatic Project. The aim of this report is providing national inputs to the assessment of Ecological Objective 8: "Coastal ecosystems and landscapes", i.e. Common Indicator 16, in terms of providing outputs of the spatial analysis on length of Albania coastline occupied by human-made structures. In this way, the monitoring of the CI16 will be carried out as Contracting Parties agreed, and the results will contribute to the Mediterranean Quality Status Report – QSR planned for 2023, while contributing at the same time to the preparation of the assessment of Good Environmental Status (GES) of marine and coastal areas of Albania. The area of analysed indicator is the coastal area of Albania from the Buna River in the border with Montenegro on the North to the border with Greece on the South. Municipalities that are part of the coastal area are: Shkodër, Lezhë, Kurbin, Durrës, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, Divjakë, Fier, Vlorë, Himarë, Sarandë. This report includes the spatial analysis on identification of length of Albania coastline occupied by human-made structures. Such analysis follows the national monitoring programs for EO8 for Albania