ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Chapter 4: Environmental issues facing Europe’s
coasts
In this chapter we will examine the environmental issues facing two of
Europe’s coastal regions, the Camargue in France and the Spanish
Mediterranean coast.
Both of these areas are coming under pressure from humans and the
ways in which they use the land.
Case Study: The Camargue, France
The Camargue is located in southern France, on the Mediterranean
coastline. The Camargue is called a wetland, which means that it has
areas of water and land. It has a mixture of salty and fresh water
because it is where the River Rhone meets the sea (river delta).
The Camargue is famous for its wildlife and plant life. The wetland
area is home to a large number of pink flamingos who live in the Rhone
delta. Wild horses and black bulls roam freely in the Camargue in very
peaceful areas where there are few humans. Lagoons and reed covered
marshes attract all sorts of wildlife.
The Camargue became a Regional Park and nature reserve in 1972. The
location of the Camargue region is shown on the map on page 44.
42
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Figure 10: The Camargue
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Camargue_map.png
The Camargue is a very large area that covers 500 square kilometres.
The area is under pressure from lots of different land uses , including:




tourism
industry
towns and cities
farming.
Environmental pressure from tourism
One million tourists are attracted to the Camargue every year. They are
attracted by the beautiful scenery, the wildlife and the Mediterranean
climate that guarantees warm and dry weather in the summer months. It
is at this time that most people visit the Camargue. Tourists can take
part in a great number of activities, such as enjoying the beaches, bird
watching, taking boat trips or going on safari.
The great numbers of tourists results in pressure on the environment. Land
is being used for tourist developments, which means a loss in wildlife
habitats. There is increased noise and air pollution from the amount of
tourist traffic, especially in the summer months. If too much damage is
caused, wildlife will begin to disappear and people will stay away from the
Camargue. This could cause a loss of jobs and money for the area.
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
43
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Activity 17
Look at the map below. It shows the number of tourists (in millions)
that visit the Mediterranean each year.
Figure 11: Number of tourists visiting the Mediterranean
Source: SQA
44
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Use the information on the map to complete and label the graph on page
45.
What problems could large numbers of tourists cause in the Camargue?
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
45
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Environmental pressure from farming
Forty per cent of the Camargue is used as farmland. Rice is the main
cereal crop that is grown here. It is a good area for growing rice
because there is fresh water available from the Rhone to flood the
paddy fields where the rice grows. Lots of fresh water is taken from
the Rhone to irrigate (water) crops, especially in the dry summers.
Too much water from the Rhone will upset the balance between the salt
and fresh water in the Camargue. This could mean that the wildlife and
plant life in the Camargue could be under threat.
How can this be solved?
Park zoning
Like any regional park, there are conflicts between the different users.
To avoid any damage to animal habitats and plant life, the park has
been divided into different zones.
This means that farmers can only farm intensively with fertilisers and
chemicals in certain parts of the Camargue. In other areas organic
farming, which uses no harmful chemicals, takes place. They are both
separate from areas where there are protected species, such as the pink
flamingo. The pink flamingos are in a nature reserve where no farming
can take place.
Tourists are only allowed to access the beach area and one 20 kilometre
walking trail. They are also banned from doing anything that will
damage the wildlife, such as fishing or hunting.
Education
The park authorities are taking the time to educate
tourists about how to use the Camargue in a way
that will not damage the environment. It is hoped
that this will allow the tourists to use the park in
ways that will cause less damage because they will
understand how fragile the environment is.
46
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Education for tourists will be provided at local visitor centres. These
centres provide different facilities for tourists such as:
 Trails that are open all year round in areas where little harm can be
done
 Observation posts that give views of some spectacular sites
 Discovery trails, where visitors must be accompanied by a specialist .
Activity 18
1.
Do you think zoning of different land uses, like farming, in the
Camargue is a good thing? Why?
2.
Do you think that educating tourists is a good way to help stop
environmental pressure in the Camargue?
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
47
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Environmental pressure from global warming
When we discussed global warming in Chapter 2
we stated that some low lying areas around the
coast of Europe could be affected by a rise in sea
levels. The Camargue wetlands could be under
serious threat from even a small rise in the levels of
the Mediterranean Sea.
What would happen to the Camargue?
 Lots of fresh water would flood the Camargue meaning that the salt
water marshes would disappear.
 Plant and animal species could be lost.
 Farmland would be flooded.
Activity 19
Design a poster by an environmental group showing the effects of
global warming on the Camargue wetlands.
Use the maps to help you. You could work in a group or with a fr iend.
48
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Case Study: The Spanish Mediterranean Coast
Spain is a large country with a population of 40 million people. It is
located in southern Europe and the east coast of the country is bordered
by the Mediterranean Sea.
Figure 12: Location of Spain in Europe
The Spanish
Mediterranean
coast
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
49
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. The
Mediterranean coast of Spain attracts around 65 million tourists every
year. They are attracted by the warm and dry summer climate and by
the beautiful beaches and warm Mediterranean Sea.
The Spanish Mediterranean coast is under environmental pressure from
the amount of tourists who flock to this coastline each year. Tourism is
a large part of the industry in Spain and many small fishing villages
have grown very quickly into large tourist resorts.
50
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Activity 20
Find a map of Spain in an atlas. Label the map below with the
information given in the table.
Shade the highland areas brown.
Label the following cities and resorts.
 The Pyrenees
 The Sierra Nevada
 Cantabrian Mountains














Label the following rivers, seas and
coastal areas.






River Ebro
Mediterranean Sea
River Guadalquivir
Costa Brava
Costa Blanca
Costa del Sol
Label the Balearic Islands.
Madrid
Barcelona
Zaragoza
Seville
Malaga
Lloret de Mar
Salou
Valencia
Benidorm
Alicante
Torremolinos
Bilbao
La Coruna
Almeria
 Ibiza
 Majorca
 Menorca
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
51
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
The Spanish Mediterranean climate
The climate of an area is made up of averages for temperature and
rainfall over a long period of time. In summer months the pleasant
climate of Spain attracts lots of tourists to visit and enjoy a holiday in
the sun.
The graph below shows average temperatures for Benidorm, a popular
tourist destination on the Spanish coast, and London.
Figure 13: Temperature on the Spanish coast
Benidorm
London
52
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Activity 21
Examine the temperature graph on page 53 and answer the questions
below.
1.
2.
3.
What are the highest and lowest temperatures in Benidorm and in
what months do they occur?
Highest:
Month:
Lowest:
Month:
What are the highest and lowest temperatures in London and in
what months do they occur?
Highest:
Month:
Lowest:
Month:
Looking at the graph, can you spot any similarities and differences
between the temperature for Benidorm and London?
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
53
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
4.
The figures in the table below show rainfall in millimetres for
Benidorm and London. Use the figures to complete the bar graph.
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Benidorm
31
39
48
43
54
37
27
49
76
86
52
45
London
61
36
50
42
45
46
46
44
43
73
45
59
Rainfall in mm
J
Months
54
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
5.
Using the information about rainfall and temperature, explain why
Benidorm on the Spanish Mediterranean coast is a popular tourist
destination.
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
55
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Environmental pressure from tourism
Many small fishing villages on the Spanish Mediterrane an coast have
been transformed into popular beach resorts.
One example of a town like this is Benidorm. The town of Benidorm
is located on the Costa Blanca, ‘the White Coast’, one-hours’ drive
from the main airport in the region, Alicante. The locatio n of Benidorm
is show on the map below.
Figure 14: Location of Benidorm
Benidorm
Source: http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcspain.htm
Lots of tourists began to visit to Benidorm in the 1960s and 70s. To
cope with the number of visitors the town began to grow very quickly
to provide facilities for the tourists. The area of flat land behind the
two beaches has developed into a ‘strip’ of high-rise hotels and
apartment blocks.
56
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
The traditional look of the village has been lost; hotels, restaurants,
bars, shops and nightclubs line the beachfront. Roads have been
improved to allow tourists easy access to the airport in Alicante , which
means increased traffic and pollution.
The photo below shows what Benidorm looks like now.
Figure 15: Modern Benidorm
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
57
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Water pollution is a problem in coastal resorts such as Benidorm.
During the summer months there is a big increase in the number of
people staying in the resort; therefore, the amount of sewage that gets
dumped into the sea increases. When people come into contact with
sewage that has not been treated properly it can cause the spread of
disease such as hepatitis and typhoid.
Another water-related problem that tourist resorts on the Spanish
Mediterranean coast face is that there is not enough water to cop e with
the demand from tourists. Tourists need water for swimming pools,
baths and showers. Water is taken from aquifers, a natural
underground water store, which means that the water levels in the
ground are falling. Farmers have no water left to use to water
(irrigate) their land. Water for Benidorm has to be piped from rivers
inland.
Problems of development
As a result of the massive development of Benidorm, it began to get a
poor image so tourists stayed away in the 1990s. The picture below
shows some of the problems that Benidorm faced.
Figure 16: Problems in Benidorm
Source: R Gallagher and R Parish, 2002, Geography 3
58
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Activity 22
Look at Figure 16. Explain why many tourists are put off going to
Benidorm.
The Spanish government had to act fast to save the reputation of
Benidorm. Benidorm is very important to the economy of Spain
because it provides lots of job in the area and makes a lot of money.
What has been done?
The European Union
The EU awards beaches that are very clean with ‘Blue Flags’. Both
beaches in Benidorm have been awarded blue flags for the cleanliness
of their water. The EU gives countries advice on how to treat sewage
and make sure that the beaches remain clean.
Environmental groups
Environmental groups, like Greenpeace, put pressure on resorts to keep
beaches and water clean. They also work together with organisations
such as Tourism Concern to encourage sustainable tourism. This
means encouraging tourism that does not harm the environment and
keeps it safe for future generations.
To promote sustainable tourism, the government has more control over
new development. Hotels are being refurbished and new hotels have to
meet strict standards.
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
59
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
The diagram below shows different environmental pressures on coastal
tourist resorts.
Figure 17: A model coastal resort
Source: SQA
Activity 23
Look at the diagram above of the model coastal resort.
1.
60
Write down any similarities between the model resort and
Benidorm (look at Figures 14, 15 and 16).
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
2.
Select two environmental pressures that can affect the landscape.
Explain what problems can be created by this pressure.
Pressure 1:
Pressure 2:
3.
For one of the environmental pressures, describe how the
European Union or an environmental group can reduce the
problem.
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
61
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
Comparison: The Camargue and the Spanish
Mediterranean coast
Activity 24
1.
In the space below write about the location and main features of
each coastal area. Write about:



62
The location of each coastal area
Main features of each coastal area
Any similarities or differences between them
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
2.
Describe the impact of tourism on the Camargue and a resort on
the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Write about:


What the attractions of each area are
The benefits of tourism
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
63
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
3.
Describe problems of development in the two coastal areas. Write
about:
 Farming in the Camargue
 Urban development in Benidorm on the Spanish Mediterranean
coast
64
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FACING EUROPE’S COASTS
4.
What is being done to ease environmental pressure in the
Camargue and Benidorm on the Spanish Mediterranean coast?
Write about:


How the areas are protected
Do you think these methods are successful?
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITIES (ACCESS 3, GEOGRAPHY)
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2007
65