Land Consumption In Italian Coastal Area

Italian coastal urban development is a problem which requires measures to contain land consumption and a continuous monitoring action on the phenomenon, especially in those areas where the tendency to consume land is high. Two of the major limitation in achieving full awareness of the phenomenon are the lack of common European policies and land consumption definition issues In this study the aim is to analyse the evolution of land consumption occurred in the Italian coastline on a diachronic basis (2012-2018). We used the National Land Consumption Map, produced by ISPRA yearly covering all the Italian territory, adopting a proper definition of what is meant to be consumed. Moreover, the phenomenon is assessed showing its relation to the distance from the coastline, morphological typologies, administrative boundaries and protected areas, in order to identify consumption patterns and highlight particular areas most frequently affected by land consumption. This study finds consumed land is increasingly distributed within 100 meters from the coastline, with different peaks and trends. At the same time new changes increase proportionally to the distancing from the coast. This is partially argued with the saturation, already built, of the territory between 0 and 200 meters, that constitutes a major spatial constraint. The relationship between the phenomenon and the distance from the coastline, connotes a characteristic feature at regional level Through a set of finalised indicators, distinctive pattern of the evolution occurred have been analytically highlighted, showing that density of changes is more intense between 300 and 500 meters, in the first unrestricted portion of land. The level of detail allows to provide a useful database as an effective support for territorial policies and planning, with the aim of preserving the coastal landscape and increasing awareness of the finiteness of the soil resource, a true challenge, that in a medium-long term, with required organized and coordinated interregional policies can be tackled in its various issues.