As the artificialisation of the coast threatens  coastal ecosystems, Surfrider Foundation Europe is organising to protect European coastlines from the by-products of concretisation.

Our coastal towns are urbanizing and sprawling with tourism, the extension of port zones, and the construction of dams.

Reports predict that by 2050 the coastal population will double. If we do not continue the fight against the artificialisation of the coast, demographic pressure will increase concretisation greatly in coming years.

The "Keepers of the Coast," is fighting against the degradation and artificialisation of the European coast.

The passage of the natural state of the coasts to urbanisation is almost irreversible. In this sense, concretisation constitutes one of the principal threats for our coastline.

Surfrider Foundation Europe wishes that these changes are done in respect of the environment and in this sense avoiding the savage artificialisation of the coast.

The European Environmental Agency (EEA) has announced a continuous and rapid acceleration of the development of the coastal area, essentially provoked by residential, recreational and touristic sectors.

This same EEA report confirms that the urban development along the Mediterranean coast has generated a 'wall' effect : nearly 50% of the coast has been artificially developed and is actively continuing to be.

Additionally, around two thirds of the humid European coastal zones have for the main part disappeared since the beginning of the 20th century.

In Europe, the artificial surfaces have expanded by 190km² per year between 1990 and 2000.

These rapid changes have already modified the potential viability of the coastal ecosystems and Surfrider fears that these upheavals will destroy their fragile balance.

The coastal ecosystems however provide a multitude of services to society :

They assure the supply of food, energy resources and natural products.

They are the source of cultural and pleasure services which benefit tourism and leisure activities.

Moreover, the coastal ecosystems guarantee important services of regulation and support such as the stabilisation of the coast and protection against natural dangers or even the detoxification of polluted waters.

Our exceptional European coastal environment is however the victim of its own notoriety.

The demographic changes, the economic reconstruction, the more elevated levels of life, the accumulated leisure time and the world commercial models explain this artificialisation of the coast to a large extent.

Be the eyes and the ears of Surfrider Foundation Europe on the ground by joining our local groups, or taking part in our "Keepers of the Coast" programme, supplying us with information on deterioration or cases of artificialisation of the coast that you have witnessed.