Valuation and sensitivity of socio-economic activities along the French mediterranean coast

Abstract

The valuation of services linked to the coastal environment can provide useful information for decision-makers and, therefore, contribute to costal management strategies. By focussing on services in terms of uses, this case study particularly aims at evaluating the socio-economic activities along the French Mediterranean coast and the corresponding sensitivity to a major pollution event. The assessment comprises a large spectrum of coastal activities (market and non market) that are directly or indirectly linked to seawater quality. To estimate their values (monetary and nonmonetary), quantitative and semi-quantitative measures were used. These values, translated into indexes and presented in their geographical context, allow a socio-economic sensitivity mapping of the French Mediterranean coastal zones as a tool for spatial planning for decision-makers. The resulting maps help to identify and characterize coastal zones that are particularly sensitive to anthropogenic impacts such as marine pollution.