“Awareness is not enough”: the Court of Auditors warns of the consequences of coastal risks in the Mediterranean

1 The observation and costs related to the risk

To the scientific studies that announce an increase in temperatures of + 2.3° and a rise in the level of the Mediterranean sea of ​​40 cm by 2050, while the population of these coastal departments will increase by another 13%, the magistrates of the chambers of Occitanie, Paca and Corsica have added the control of the management accounts and hearings of 37 coastal entities.

“The idea is to identify the obstacles in taking into account the mobility of the coastline, to shed light and help raise awareness” specifies Valérie Renet.

The widening of the scope of the threat of submersion will thus drastically increase the overall value of assets exposed to these risks of rising waters: it is estimated by a CEREMA study at €156 million for 2030, but more than €500 million in 2050 and €11.4 billion in 2100…

More than 32,000 buildings and campsites affected by the retreat of the coastline in 2100

For Occitanie, more exposed in the long term (with the Camargue in particular) than Paca and Corsica, the number of buildings and campsites that could be affected by the retreat of the coastline would reach 356 in 2050 (for a value of €40M) and more than 32,000 (including 138 campsites) for a value of almost €5 billion in 2100!

“In the short term, the insurance and compensation system will not be able to cover the realization and intensification of risks” writes the Court.

The insurance system will be threatened, while already, buildings, such as certain campsites, are struggling to find cover:“there are communities that are their own insurers” indicates Alain Le Bris, investigating magistrate Occitanie.

Added to this are states of natural disaster that have already been recognized – such as Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone or Lattes in Hérault – “and that has a significant cost of repair” notes the president of the CRC Occitanie.

2 Insufficient public action

“We note that sales projects are being made in the red zones of the flood risk prevention plan, urbanization continues while there is vulnerability” wonders Valérie Renet.

Who cites two edifying examples in Hérault validated by the State via the prefecture: in Frontignan, around forty building permits in an area “at high risk of submersion” and in La Grande-Motte, the PPRI was relaxed for constructions in the red “surge” zone.

“Contradictory injunctions” for municipalities

The magistrates, however, mention “contradictory injunctions” for these municipalities, obliged, in particular, to build social housing. And still recognize, moreover, “a few isolated acts” such as the non-renewal of beach concessions.

But there is sometimes a poor understanding of the risks by the communities, and if not denial, at least a refusal to think in the medium-long term about the strategic retreat otherwise called “spatial recomposition.” Sometimes spending on “defense works”against the sea – groynes, re-sanding – expensive and not necessarily effective.

“The cost of adaptation and dismantling must be able to be quantified” recalls the Court. Furthermore, the general public must also become aware of what is happening on the coast where, in addition, the closer a property is to the risk, the more expensive it is!

“The properties that are going to be destroyed will no longer be worth anything. Some people don't care that in 20 years their house will no longer have any value, they want to be by the sea, but some are betting on the fact that the State will come to the rescue, this will not be the case” warns Jean-François Brunet, investigating magistrate Occitanie.

3 The Court's recommendations

There are seven of them for “make reducing vulnerability a priority and adapt financing mechanisms.”

Among them, inform the purchaser of a property of the loss of its value in light of the natural risk and map the projection of the costs of destruction or interruption of activities.

Work at the inter-municipal level

Or even encourage these discussions by involving the hinterland at the inter-municipal level (with municipalities that could no longer oppose the transfer of local urban planning authority), make the development of a local strategy for integrated coastal management mandatory and better mobilization of taxes with also the creation of new land subsidiaries endowed “with resources dedicated to coastal development.”

The State does not want “restrictive measures”

The Ministry of Ecological Transition responded to the report. In accordance with the Court's recommendations to improve the assessment of risks to which territories are subject and to mobilize financial resources to meet prevention and planning needs, the State nevertheless considers that “the implementation of these objectives does not appear to necessarily require restrictive measures” and defends “the principle of volunteering of local authorities to engage in knowledge, planning and spatial recomposition processes.”

While the presidents of the Paca region and the territorial community of Corsica did not respond, the president of the Occitanie region Carole Delga made several remarks. She is pleased with the good points awarded by the Court, such as the implementation of an adaptation strategy.

“The Occitanie Coastline Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PACCLO) is indeed a shared regional strategy to address coastal erosion, it offers a comprehensive and operational service offering so that local authorities can move forward in implementing their local integrated coastline management strategies (SLGITC)” éshe writes.

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