Valuing ecosystem service losses from coastal erosion using a benefits transfer approach: a case study for the Central Portuguese coast

The central Portuguese coast is recognized as the region most vulnerable to coastal erosion in Portugal, with the actual loss of territory exceeding the forecasts used in the 2010-2050 Coastal Zone Management Plan for the Ovar-Marinha sector. Coastal zones do, however, host a wide variety of ecosyst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of coastal research 2009-01, Vol.SI (56), p.1169-1173
Main Authors: Alves, F., Roebeling, P., Pinto, P., Batista, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agroecosystems
Aids
Cartography
Case studies
Climate change
Coastal
Coastal ecosystems
Coastal environments
Coastal erosion
Coastal zone
Coastal Zone Management
Coasts
Economic benefits
Economic value
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Environmental protection
Erosion
Erosion mechanisms
Estimates
Forest ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems
Land use
Littoral ecosystems
Projection
Soil erosion
Valuation
Vegetation
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Summary:The central Portuguese coast is recognized as the region most vulnerable to coastal erosion in Portugal, with the actual loss of territory exceeding the forecasts used in the 2010-2050 Coastal Zone Management Plan for the Ovar-Marinha sector. Coastal zones do, however, host a wide variety of ecosystems that provide associated services which, as a result, may be lost due to coastal erosion. This study presents the first step in the development of the COastal Protection Investment Support Tool (Copist), which aids coastal zone managers identifying cost-effective locations for coastal protection works. The objective of this paper is to assess likely ecosystem service value losses resulting from coastal erosion patterns, thereby using a benefits transfer approach in combination with coastal erosion projections. For a case study of the central Portuguese coast it is shown that the total value of coastal ecosystem services equals about €193 million per year, while expected ecosystem service value losses from coastal erosion amount to over €45 million per year by 2058 (i.e. 25% of the concerned coastal ecosystem service values). Given the value of coastal ecosystem services it may, therefore, be worthwhile to protect not only urban territory but also natural and altered coastal ecosystems.
ISSN:0749-0208
1551-5036