The AD.CO.A.ST. project addresses the challenges faced by small coastal communities in Greece and Italy due to climate change, coastal erosion, and land loss. Rising sea levels threaten land, infrastructure, freshwater resources, local economies and ecosystems. Small municipalities such as Zakynthos, South Corfu, Porto Cesareo and Pisticci are particularly vulnerable, highlighting the need to strengthen their capacity for monitoring, assessment and adaptation.

AD.CO.A.ST. promotes cross-border cooperation, bringing together communities, authorities and experts to exchange knowledge, plan jointly and develop integrated strategies. The project develops cross-border protocols and community-based strategies emphasizing Nature-based Solutions tailored to local needs. It implements two innovative monitoring solutions: drones with side-scan sonar for real-time erosion data, and water quality monitoring to detect erosion-related risks. These tools will be jointly tested, enhancing municipalities’ ability to detect risks and inform mitigation measures.

These efforts will result in two main outputs: the Joint Monitoring Plan and the Joint Protocol for Coastal Erosion Management, providing a replicable framework for sustainable coastal adaptation and integration of nature-based solutions into local and regional governance. Complementary workshops, educational programs and awareness campaigns will engage communities, authorities and experts, fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and proactive adaptation. By combining technology, community engagement and nature-based strategies, AD.CO.A.ST. strengthens municipalities’ capacity to safeguard their economies, ecosystems and resilience.