_{Cova Gala | © Neide P. Areia}

Recent storms have revealed the growing vulnerability of the Portuguese coastline - erosion, rising sea levels, and extreme events - which put lives, property, and livelihoods at risk. It is against this backdrop that iCOAST – Innovation Ecosystems for Climate Resilience in High-Risk Coastal Communities - has emerged, a research project that puts people at the heart of coastal adaptation.

iCOAST, a project led by Neide P. Areia, a researcher at the Centre for Social Studies (CES)of the University of Coimbra, aims to rethink the protection of the Portuguese coastline, combining science and active community participation. "There is no coastal resilience without community participation. Adaptation to climate change begins with the people who live with the risk every day," the researcher emphasises.

In the coming months, the iCOAST team will listen to residents, coastal zone users, and local decision-makers through questionnaires, interviews, and participatory workshops to understand communities’ perceptions of risk, needs, and priorities. At the same time, the project monitors the coastline’s evolution using satellite imagery and computer simulations to identify the highest-risk areas and test adaptation solutions in collaboration with the territories. This approach enables the creation of smarter, more sustainable, and socially just strategies that involve citizens, technicians, and decision-makers in the process.

iCOAST is currently developing a national social consultation campaign while monitoring the impacts of recent extreme events, such as the Kristin depression and coastal erosion, using modelling and spatial analysis.

The iCOAST Project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and involves CES, the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Coimbra, and the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC).

^05.02.2026