Ines Almandoz, a project manager within the Coastal and Natural Environments Directorate of the Basque Country Agglomeration Community, oversees various projects aimed at enhancing the resilience of coastal areas against climate change. Her region encompasses 158 municipalities, including 8 coastal ones, and she plays a pivotal role in coordinating efforts to mitigate coastal risks and protect biodiversity.
Although not directly involved in the R4C (Regions4Climate) project, Ines participates in meetings with local stakeholders and evaluates the impacts of proposed solutions on biodiversity. This includes the installation of masts with cameras near Natura 2000 sites and testing bio-based concrete on rocky platforms.
The Coastal Partnership Project (PPA)
The Coastal Partnership Project (PPA) in France is a pioneering initiative aimed at adapting to coastal risks, specifically erosion and submersion, along the 6-kilometer northern coastline of Saint Jean de Luz. Ines leads this project, ensuring coordination among various stakeholders and managing the financial execution. She also spearheads the spatial recomposition study, which is developing a resilient and shared scenario for 2050.
The PPA aims to address the impact of coastal retreat and marine submersion on numerous critical infrastructures and facilities, including campgrounds, bars, restaurants, a wastewater treatment plant, road segments, coastal paths, and parking areas. Instead of combating the sea, the project seeks to relocate vulnerable assets, renaturalize the coastline, and reorganize the territory using nature-based solutions rather than civil engineering structures.
Coastal Erosion and Submersion Risks
Coastal risks are a significant concern in the Basque Country, with projections mapping coastline retreat over the next 20, 30, and 100 years. Areas prone to submersion and wave overtopping have been identified, leading to a validated strategy for managing these risks. This strategy, established in 2017, specifies the preferred management approach for each geographical sector, including active defense, monitored natural evolution, or asset relocation.
Engaging Local Communities and Stakeholders
The PPA involves a wide range of public and private partners, including local governments, state services, land actors, coastal conservatories, scientific organizations, urban planning agencies, and economic stakeholders. The project’s governance structure includes a Steering Committee of elected officials and the Sub-Prefect, along with a Technical Committee encompassing all stakeholders. Additionally, a core group of technical leads works daily to resolve operational issues, while collective workshops and individual interviews with directly affected private actors ensure relevant diagnostics and collaborative scenario planning. The public is regularly informed and can provide feedback through various channels.
One of the biggest challenges is raising awareness about coastal risks and overcoming denial. Finding suitable relocation solutions that comply with strict regulatory and environmental constraints, especially given the high land pressure, is another significant hurdle. The ongoing spatial recomposition project has identified relocation options for some economic activities, thanks to active governance and state regulatory support. For example, the wastewater treatment plant’s relocation was accepted by the community through effective information and consultation efforts.
The PPA, contracted from 2021 to 2024, will be evaluated based on quantitative indicators and qualitative interviews, providing a comprehensive assessment of its impact and success.
In an ideal future, Saint-Jean-de-Luz would be protected from marine submersion by bay enclosures, and the northern coastline would be fully adapted to climate change using nature-based solutions. This would include a renaturalized waterfront, relocated assets, an emphasis on soft and collective mobility, and a preserved ecosystem that protects against climate change effects.
Contribution of the R4C Project
The R4C project aims to characterize submersion risks at two sites in Saint-Jean-de-Luz: an urbanized area (the bay’s beach and dike) and a natural sector (Erromardie). This involves developing real-time monitoring tools, such as videometric measurement stations and predictive models for wave energy and sea levels. These tools will be crucial for alerting the population, raising awareness about coastal risks, and ensuring safety until organized relocation is possible, complementing the broader adaptation efforts of the PPA.
