Sea level rise is impacting the Mediterranean region’s cultural heritage. Many United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites in the Mediterranean are situated along the coast and are therefore under increasing risk from coastal flooding due to sea level rise and extreme storm surge events.
The application, developed in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean, explores the impact of sea level rise on 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites identified to be particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding. The application presents the 1 in 100-year extreme sea level event from ERA5 reanalysis plus projected sea level rise for 2050 under the RCP8.5 climate scenario to measure the impact of future coastal flooding on exposed world heritage sites. Future extreme sea level event projections are also presented using data from an ensemble of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6) models. The risk of coastal flooding is quantified using a simple flood risk index that is easily visualised on an interactive map (please see documentation for details). The current sea level trend from satellite observations are also presented for each cultural heritage site's location.
The application demonstrates how climate data can support the adaptation to climate change management of cultural heritage sites in the Mediterranean by providing an easy-to-use tool for heritage managers and policymakers to inform adaptation planning. The application is developed using robust high-resolution data and modelling approaches that covers the whole Mediterranean basin whilst facilitating adaptation planning at a local level.
The application was developed by the Copernicus Climate Change Service in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean.
| INPUT VARIABLES |
| Name |
Units |
Description |
Source |
| Mean sea level |
m |
The annual mean sea level rise relative to the 1986-2005 reference period. Contributions to sea level rise include thermal expansion of the ocean, changes in ocean circulation, ice sheet contributions, and glacio-isostatic adjustment (but not subsidence or tectonics). |
Sea level change time series |
| Sea level anomaly |
m |
Sea surface height above mean sea surface computed with respect to a 20-year mean reference period (1993-2012). |
Sea level daily gridded data from satellite observations |
| Total water level return period |
m |
Total water levels include (changes in) tidal levels, surge levels and interactions, but with sea level rise removed. Total water level and surge level simulations are forced by ERA5 reanalysis. The 100-year return period is selected. |
Sea level change indicators |
| OUTPUT VARIABLES |
| Name |
Units |
Description |
| Flood risk index |
Dimensionless |
The flood risk index caclulated using the sea level (1 in 100-year extreme event). This is based on a current 1 in 100 year extreme event combined with sea level projections for the year 2050. |
| Observed sea level change from satellites |
cm |
Annual mean of sea surface height above the mean sea level relative to the reference period 1993-2012. |
| Sea level (1 in 100-year extreme event) |
m |
Sea level height based on a current 1 in 100 year extreme event combined with sea level projections for the year 2050. |
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