Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Using Satellite Remote Sensing and GIS Technology

Coastal areas are the most vulnerable geomorphological zones on the surface of the earth; they represent a transitional boundary between land and the sea. Over 50% of the world’s population live along and near ocean and sea coasts; there are hundreds of large cities and urban communities, resorts, archeological and heritage sites, roads and highways, and more activities located in coastal zones. Globally, several geohazards and disasters threaten coastal zones, including marine hazards such as coastal erosion, rising sea levels, tsunamis, storm surges, hurricanes, and shoreline retreats. In addition, there are several inland continental geohazards, such as land subsidence, flash floodsFlood, and anthropogenic impacts. The coastal zone in Egypt is considered one of the most vulnerable coasts in the world, suffering from severe coastal erosion hazards and extreme marine processes due to climatic change and global warming impacts; approximately 10 million people live along Egyptian Coasts, and they are prone to coastal hazards and inundation. ICZM is an integrated approach that aims to manage coastal zones for planning and sustainable development and to understand the dynamics of coastal environments. Recently, the advancement of satellite remote sensing technology has provided highly accurate geospatialGeospatial data that can be collected from multiple sources (optical and SAR) and multiple sensors (multispectral and hyperspectral). Drone-based UAV systems, airborne LiDAR, and other advanced geospatialGeospatial technologies have been integrated with geographic information systemsGeographic Information System (GIS) (GIS) for data integration and manipulation, spatial analysis, mapping, change detection, spatial assessment, geospatialGeospatial modeling, and spatial prediction that introduce valuable spatial solutions for decision-makers in the field of ICZM. The present chapter focuses on the importance of geospatialGeospatial technologies for supporting ICZM along global coasts, including four aspects: coastal change detection of coastlines and land cover, assessment of coastal hazards and disaster management, coastal mapping and planning, and coastal resource management.