High-Resolution Coastal Vulnerability Assessment: Integrating Ecosystem Services Mapping for Sustainable Urban Management in the Naples Coastline

Environmental stresses of coastal zones becoming more intense due to natural processes and anthropogenic pressures are increasing. Now more than ever, the need for robust environmental management is crucial in urban areas where critical interplay of economic development, infrastructure growth, and environmental protection have to be struck at the right balance. Also using low-resolution data in a great many coastal vulnerability assessment models impairs their skill to identify fine-scale risk hotspots within high-density regions. This study presents a methodology supported by InVEST model for identifying high-risk and highly vulnerable coastal areas by integrating spatial analysis with ecosystem services mapping. The approach is applied to the city of Naples as a case study, utilizing high-resolution data to assess the protective role of coastal ecosystems, particularly Posidonia oceanica, in mitigating flood risks and stabilizing the shoreline. The findings indicate that highly urbanized areas exhibit the greatest vulnerability, whereas regions with well-preserved natural features provide enhanced coastal protection. By using this approach the decision makers will set a priority list of recommended management strategies that will both inform tradeoffs in regional planning between urbanization and environmental sustainability. Given the continued magnification of coastal fringe risks with climate change, advanced analysis tools play an even greater role. The method described here is a reusable framework that can be applied to other urban coastal areas to implement data-driven decision-making and resilience planning. Additionally, the peri-urban urban area on and around the central region is already fulfilling an ecological function thus highlighting the necessity of balancing and including nature-based solutions in coastal management.