An Adaptive Urban Project for Coastal Territories: The Lazio Coast as a Laboratory of Resilience and Ecological Transition
Open Access
- 22 October 2025
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Sustainability
- Vol. 17 (21) , 9388
Abstract
Within the ongoing scientific and disciplinary debate on the interplay between climate change and land-use governance, this paper highlights the critical role of urban planning and design in shaping environmental regeneration strategies for coastal urban areas vulnerable to flooding phenomena. These flood events—driven by the combined effects of sea-level rise (SLR) and riverine flood—represent one of the key challenges facing the “global risk society” given their increasing impact on urban areas and the tangible economic, social, and environmental damages they produce. In this context, this paper presents selected outcomes from the findings of the research project “Climate-proof planning and regeneration strategies for adaptation to sea-level rise. Experimentation and innovation in local urban planning in at-risk areas of the Lazio region”, conducted at Sapienza University of Rome. The project focuses on research and experimental planning in coastal areas of Lazio identified as being at risk of SLR-related flooding by 2100. It aims to define theoretical–methodological and operational references for urban regeneration with an ecosystemic approach within the framework of so-called climate-proof planning. This study examines three macro-areas, further subdivided into seven distinct sites, categorized by their prevailing urban functions. For each site, following a preliminary assessment of flood-prone zones, tailored design actions are proposed. These actions are framed within three overarching of urban resilience strategies, developed in previous research by the authors: “defence”, “adaptation”, and “relocation”.Keywords
Funding Information
- Sapienza Università di Roma (RM120172A7DEE5BD, RP12117A7C582F41)
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Understanding the value and limits of nature-based solutions to climate change and other global challengesPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2020
- Mediterranean UNESCO World Heritage at risk from coastal flooding and erosion due to sea-level riseNature Communications, 2018
- How are cities planning to respond to climate change? Assessment of local climate plans from 885 cities in the EU-28Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018
- The role of scale in integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation in citiesJournal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2018
- Sea-level rise and potential drowning of the Italian coastal plains: Flooding risk scenarios for 2100Quaternary Science Reviews, 2017
- Defining urban resilience: A reviewLandscape and Urban Planning, 2016
- Climate change and the city: Building capacity for urban adaptationProgress in Planning, 2015
- A framework for urban climate resilienceClimate and Development, 2012
- Have we neglected the societal importance of sand dunes? An ecosystem services perspectiveAquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2010
- Assessing conservation status on coastal dunes: A multiscale approachLandscape and Urban Planning, 2009