Conservation, management and restoration of ecosystems and vegetated foreshores can help reduce the risk of coastal flooding and erosion. To support interventions that integrate these natural systems within flood defences, the Foreshore Assessment using Space Technology (FAST) project has developed a series of Copernicus downstream services, meaning that the project takes Copernicus data and information and adds value to it for the purpose of meeting specific user needs – in this case, those of environmental and risk management authorities.
The FAST package of products and services has been developed to provide users with access to various map layers and wave/flood modelling services. The main vehicle for accessing these services is the MI-SAFE viewer, a free and open online application that quantifies how vulnerable a coast is to storm surges and how natural habitats protect our coasts. The MI-SAFE viewer is thus unique in its combination of modelling and EO capabilities.
Find out more about the Copernicus downstream services and the FAST project here.