The Dilemma of the Illegibility of State Visions:
The Greek Coastal Legislation
Efstratios DOUKAKIS, Greece
Key words: climate changes, erosion, inundation setback lines
SUMMARY
In the last decades there has been an increasing concern about the nature and results of
coastal dynamics, especially coastal erosion and its adverse effects on social and economic
livelihoods. The impacts differ world wide not only in magnitude and frequency, but also in
vulnerability of different coastal regions and populations which are related to the degree to
which social structures have evolved. Depending on the local situation, different integrated
coastal zone management approaches can be implemented. However, general issues, such as
the notion of social equity, sustainability and setback lines have remained a cornerstone in
most of these approaches.
The Greek state visions regarding protection and development of its coastal areas have been
“presented” in the law 2971/2001. The law regulates the limits of the seashore and beach
zones and related matters. Marginal issues on coastal protection have been abstractly taken
into account which by no means can create an environmental friendly and sustainable coastal
development. Development close to the sea and damage to natural dune system such as
bulldozing dunes to improve sea views and sand extraction have created widespread coastal
hazard problems. Many houses, properties and coastal infrastructure are now threatened by
coastal erosion and flooding.
A number of Greek coastal areas are herein examined by assessing the impacts of sea level
rise and erosion on them. The predicted rate of change of the seashore limit in each particular
area can lead to the determination of the setback lines. Primary setback lines delineate land at
risk from fluctuations in natural beach erosion under existing conditions and secondary
setback lines delineate the additional land at risk from the effect of sea level rise and climate
change over the next 100 years. Only if such setback lines exist in a coastal area, then the
state visions of sustainable development could come true.