Montenegro Joins Italy And Portugal In Facing Rising Sea Levels Threatening Iconic Beaches By 2100

Published on October 15, 2025

Europe’s stunning beaches, cherished for their earthy beauty and their important publication to tourism, are facing an alarming threat owed to rising oversea levels. From nan luxury resorts of Montenegro’s Sveti Stefan to nan iconic beaches of Sardinia, nan accrued consequence of formation erosion is group to reshape nan continent’s coastal tourism industry. A caller study from nan European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals that betwixt 2006 and 2018, oversea levels successful Europe person risen astatine an mean complaint of 3.7 millimetres per year, a gait much than doubly arsenic accelerated arsenic during nan 20th century. If existent trends continue, oversea levels could emergence by arsenic overmuch arsenic 1.02 metres by nan extremity of this century, perchance submerging immoderate of Europe’s astir celebrated tourer destinations.

The consequences of this emergence widen acold beyond biology concerns. For galore coastal regions, tourism is not conscionable a cardinal sector; it’s nan economical backbone. The nonaccomplishment of iconic beaches would not only devastate section communities but besides create a ripple effect crossed nan European tourism market. As beloved destinations look nan threat of being wiped retired by rising tides, governments, section authorities, and businesses must enactment quickly to guarantee nan preservation of Europe’s coastal heritage.

Rising Sea Levels and Their Threat to Popular Beaches:

The emergence successful oversea levels, driven by ambiance change, is now 1 of nan biggest threats to Europe’s coastal tourism. With oversea levels rising astatine unprecedented rates, celebrated coastal destinations crossed nan continent are facing erosion, jeopardizing their semipermanent viability arsenic tourer hotspots. According to projections, if nary important actions are taken, galore of Europe’s astir celebrated beaches could beryllium unrecognizable by 2100.

One of nan astir iconic examples is Sveti Stefan, Montenegro’s luxurious edifice island. Connected to nan mainland by a constrictive causeway, this land is celebrated for its picturesque beaches, exclusive hotels, and stunning views. However, experts pass that it could suffer up to 200 metres of shoreline by 2100 owed to coastal erosion. This would drastically alteration nan island’s landscape, which relies heavy connected its scenic beauty to pull tourists. If nan shoreline recedes further, it could lead to important economical losses, impacting not only tourism but besides section businesses and livelihoods.

The effects of rising oversea levels connected tourism destinations for illustration Sveti Stefan are not hypothetical—they are existent and urgent. The land is already a celebrated tourer destination, particularly for luxury travellers. Should nan formation recede, it would nary longer person nan pristine shores and seclusion that person drawn truthful galore to its luxury resorts. Visitors whitethorn move to different destinations, resulting successful a nonaccomplishment of some gross and prestige for Montenegro’s tourism sector.

Another destination facing a akin destiny is Porto Giunco successful Sardinia, Italy. Known for its tropical quality pinch crystal-clear waters and sandy dunes, Porto Giunco draws thousands of visitors annually. However, experts task that nan formation could suffer complete 100 metres of its shoreline. This nonaccomplishment could erode nan beach’s unsocial dune strategy and frighten nan delicate ecosystems that prolong its beauty. The beach’s position arsenic a apical tourer destination could beryllium undermined, which would person antagonistic consequences for section tourism-dependent industries for illustration hospitality, transport, and section unit businesses.

Further on nan Mediterranean, Praia de Benagil successful Algarve, Portugal, celebrated for its striking oversea caves, faces a projected nonaccomplishment of up to 70 metres of coastline. This beach, often crowded pinch visitors eager to research its caves by boat, could spot its allure importantly reduced arsenic nan coastline retreats. Algarve is simply a awesome tourism hub, and immoderate important alteration to nan scenery could deter visitors, yet damaging nan region’s hospitality assemblage and nan wide tourism experience.

Beyond nan Mediterranean, Keem Bay connected Achill Island, Ireland, and Plage des Marinières connected nan French Riviera are besides astatine risk. Keem Bay, featured successful nan movie The Banshees of Inisherin, could suffer up to 40 metres of its shoreline by 2100. Meanwhile, Plage des Marinières, a constrictive formation successful Nice, is projected to suffer 35 metres. These changes would discuss not only nan aesthetics but besides nan recreational and taste value of these locations.

The Economic Impact connected Tourism:

Tourism is nan lifeblood of galore coastal regions successful Europe. It supports thousands of jobs, generates revenue, and sustains section businesses. As such, nan nonaccomplishment of iconic beaches would person far-reaching economical consequences. For galore destinations, nan picturesque coastline is nan superior logic visitors take to visit.

Take Sveti Stefan successful Montenegro arsenic an example. The luxury edifice land is renowned for its exclusivity and earthy beauty, attracting high-spending visitors from astir nan world. The island’s system is mostly driven by its tourism industry, and immoderate nonaccomplishment of its formation would straight impact nan resort’s expertise to proceed attracting able travelers. Luxury hotels, restaurants, circuit operators, and section vendors each dangle connected nan influx of visitors. If nan island’s shoreline continues to erode, these businesses could spot a crisp diminution successful demand, starring to occupation losses and economical stagnation.

Similarly, Porto Giunco successful Sardinia is not conscionable a beach; it’s an economical hub. The formation attracts visitors who besides bask nan surrounding restaurants, hotels, and section attractions. The beach’s unsocial entreaty lies successful its pristine quality and scenic dunes, which could beryllium severely damaged by coastal erosion. Sardinia’s tourism system relies heavy connected these earthy assets, and immoderate important harm could deter some visitors and investors from coming to nan island, starring to wide economical repercussions for nan region.

Portugal’s Praia de Benagil is different example. The region’s system depends connected a robust tourism assemblage that includes some coastal and taste attractions. The beach, pinch its melodramatic oversea caves, draws visitors eager for vessel tours and photography. If nan coastline recedes arsenic expected, nan beach’s earthy features would suffer their appeal, and section businesses that cater to visitors could beryllium near struggling to adapt.

The Urgent Need for Climate Action and Beach Protection:

While nan threats posed by rising oversea levels whitethorn look overwhelming, experts reason that solutions are available. However, they stress that clip is of nan essence. Professor Giorgio Budillon, an master successful oceanography, states that while reducing emissions is crucial, it is not nan only solution. He advocates for soft solutions, which impact moving pinch quality to protect coastlines. These see methods specified arsenic beach nourishment, nan restoration of seagrasses, and nan protection of wetlands—all of which tin service arsenic earthy buffers against rising tides.

Several coastal regions successful Europe person already begun to instrumentality specified measures. For example, nan land of Sardinia has invested successful restoring its dunes to combat erosion. Similarly, successful Montenegro, section authorities are considering formation nourishment programs to replenish mislaid soil and protect nan coastline. These initiatives are essential, but they must beryllium scaled up and implemented crossed nan continent to guarantee semipermanent protection.

In summation to these measures, governments request to see coastal relocation strategies for nan astir at-risk areas. While moving infrastructure and communities is simply a past resort, it whitethorn go basal successful regions wherever nan risks of flooding and erosion are excessively awesome to ignore. Coastal regions must prioritize future-proofing their infrastructure to minimize nan nonaccomplishment of life and property. Urban readying needs to accommodate to these changing conditions by relocating buildings distant from high-risk zones and reinforcing existing structures to withstand accrued flooding.

Tourism and Sustainability: The Role of Responsible Travel:

As nan effects of ambiance alteration intensify, nan domiciled of responsible tourism becomes moreover much critical. Tourists person a unsocial opportunity to lend positively to nan preservation of coastal environments. By supporting sustainable tourism practices, visitors tin thief trim nan pressures connected vulnerable ecosystems.

For instance, travelers visiting Porto Giunco aliases Praia de Benagil should beryllium conscious of their biology footprint. Practicing eco-friendly habits, specified arsenic reducing waste, supporting section businesses, and respecting protected areas, tin make a important difference. In addition, visitors tin advocator for nan protection of coastal ecosystems by supporting nature-based tourism initiatives, specified arsenic eco-tours and conservation efforts.

Governments and section tourism authorities besides play a pivotal domiciled successful encouraging responsible tourism. By creating consciousness campaigns, establishing sustainable tourism certifications, and offering incentives for greenish practices, they tin foster a tourism civilization that values preservation complete exploitation. Tourists, successful turn, should take destinations and operators committed to biology sustainability.

What Governments and nan Tourism Industry Can Do:

It is not excessively precocious to return action, but swift and coordinated efforts are necessary. Governments must prioritize nan protection of their coastal zones, which see introducing strict biology regulations to forestall further degradation of these areas. Coastal protection projects, for illustration seawalls, mangrove restoration, and formation nourishment, must go a modular portion of coastal readying crossed Europe. Additionally, cross-border practice betwixt European Union (EU) personnel states will beryllium captious successful creating a unified model for managing rising oversea levels and protecting cardinal coastal tourer destinations.

The tourism manufacture must besides measurement up its efforts successful promoting sustainability. From encouraging eco-friendly recreation practices to offering incentives for destinations that perpetrate to preserving their earthy landscapes, nan tourism assemblage has a captious domiciled to play. Investing successful greenish tourism solutions—such arsenic carbon-neutral tours, renewable energy, and discarded reduction—will spell a agelong measurement successful protecting these destinations for early generations.

Tourists themselves must prosecute successful responsible recreation behaviors, knowing nan semipermanent consequences of their choices. By opting for destinations that prioritize sustainability and supporting businesses that usage eco-friendly practices, travelers tin person a important effect connected preserving nan earthy beauty of Europe’s beaches.

Europe’s iconic beaches are facing a perilous future. Rising oversea levels airs a important threat to these coastal destinations, perchance erasing nan shores that person drawn millions of visitors each year. The tourism economies successful regions for illustration Sveti Stefan, Porto Giunco, and Praia de Benagil are astatine risk, and their early depends connected nan swift action of governments, section communities, and nan tourism industry.

By implementing protective measures specified arsenic formation nourishment, wetland restoration, and coastal relocation, it is imaginable to safeguard these treasured locations for early generations. However, these efforts require a collaborative attack and a committedness to sustainable tourism. As tourists, we excessively must play our portion by supporting eco-friendly practices and advocating for nan protection of Europe’s coastal heritage. The clip to enactment is now—before nan beauty of these beaches is mislaid to rising seas.