The Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) has developed the Geodatabase “Linea di Costa”. that allows to perform spatial analysis on the recorded geometrical elements, and to provide a periodic update on the evolution of the coastline. The main objective of this work is to highlight the potential of a continuously updated geodatabase over time in monitoring and analysing the state of the coasts at a local level, presenting one of several case studies carried out by ISPRA, following specific requests related to local coastal dynamics received from the stakeholders.

This research proposes the acquisition of a time series from optical satellites to observe changes in the Venice lagoon, an ecosystem which is very challenging to monitor by means of in situ survey activities, let alone using remote sensing techniques, given the presence of land and sandbars (vegetated intertidal areas). The work describes the specific validation process performed by ISPRA on the results obtained as applied on some target sites of the Venice Lagoon, both natural and partially artificial islands, using fully artificial islands as reference.

The Italian coastal zone is a dynamic and fragile environment that is characterized by high ecological vulnerability and subjected to strong anthropogenic pressures that significantly alter its natural morphology and environmental balance. In this scenario, port infrastructures represent about 35% of the Italian artificial coast and have a significant influence on coastal dynamics and seabed integrity. This study proposes a new methodology based on polygon-based mapping to calculate the spatial extent and distribution of the transformation areas associated with port development. This allows us to define a new specific indicator, named the Port Pressure Indicator, to assess the impact of port infrastructures. The proposed analysis highlights that port-related pressures on the marine-coastal zone are driven by two main factors: large-scale ports, which account for more than half of the total transformation areas, and a widespread network of minor ports, which are responsible for the systematic fragmentation of coastal continuity. By providing a standardized measurement of transformation areas, this approach supports coastal spatial planning and monitoring. Moreover, it provides a baseline for assessing spatial pressure and supporting integrated coastal zone management assessments.