- Created on
- 26 June 2026
- Theme
- European Atlas of the Seas
If you have read our previous Map of the Week on World Ocean Day and Ocean Depth, you will recall that, on 10 June 2026, the European Commission presented the European Union (EU) strategies for islands and coastal communities. The two initiatives introduce a targeted approach, dedicated to the specific needs and unique challenges of
- 17 million people living on more than 4,000 islands;
- 95 million people living along the 70,000 km of EU coastlines and in coastal areas.
Did you know that 22 EU countries have a coastline? Have a look at the map!
The EU Coastal Communities Strategy is an initiative to support the economic, social, and environmental resilience of Europe’s coastal regions, which face unique challenges like climate change, unbalanced tourism, and demographic decline. The new strategy works alongside the EU Islands Strategy ensuring coastal and island communities get tailored help for their unique challenges. [1] Get an overview of these strategies in the factsheets available on the webpage dedicated to the strategies.
Speaking of coastal regions, have you seen that the European Atlas of the Seas includes a map layer on coastal geology? The data show different types of shoreline and coastline formations, with 13 geological types and 20 geo-morphological types, ranging from hard rock to soft muddy sediments and from natural beaches to harbor areas and coastal defences. These data were produced by the EUROSION project using multiple digital images to create a shoreline segmentation. To see details on a specific coastline on the Map of the Week, use the ‘+’ sign to zoom in.
Shoreline identification is an important step in the monitoring of coastal areas to analyse the effects of erosion and to support Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). ICZM is a process that uses an integrated approach for the management of the coast, regarding geographical and political boundaries. The aim of conducting ICZM is to promote sustainable management of coastal zones.
Wish to know more?
- Have a look at the study on resilience and local economic development in EU coastal communities;
- Learn about the Coalition of cities, regions, islands and ports for the Mission Ocean and Waters;
- Explore the European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPT.
The data in the map is provided by EUROSION.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.
[1] https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/coastal-communities/coastal-communities-strategy_en