This report examines the extent of research on coastal erosion and the developing techniques for identifying shorelines in the Mediterranean region. The Insight Review consolidates findings from scientific literature, employing advanced remote sensing technologies, AI machine learning algorithms, and geospatial analytic methodologies. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of the issues encountered by Mediterranean coastlines by investigating multiple causes that contribute to coastal erosion, including climate change, human activities, and natural processes.It provides a concise overview of the consequences of climate change in the area. The text underscores the significance of employing different data sources to improve accuracy and precision. The paper also emphasizes the recent progress in satellite images, LiDAR technology, unmanned aerial vehicles, and neural network techniques, which could significantly revolutionize coastal monitoring. The findings presented in this study have practical implications for politicians, environmental agencies, and coastal communities. They provide essential information on how to effectively address the negative impacts of erosion and preserve the natural balance of coastlines.

In this paper, we present the new research infrastructure of the ERATOSTHENES CoE for aerosol and cloud remote sensing observations and its capabilities to participate in cal/val activities. The research facility is installed less than 2 km from the coastline of Limassol, Cyprus. The multiplatform for atmospheric research consists of a multiwavelength lidar, 35 GHz cloud radar, a microwave radiometer, and ancillary instruments to become a fully ACTRIS cloud and aerosol remote sensing station. Measurements performed at Limassol’s station were already utilized for the validation of the aerosol products of Sentinel 5P and AEOLUS and will be used for the validation of the EarthCARE mission.

This paper explores how the Eratosthenes CoE that has been established in Cyprus through the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming project can be a hub for Earth Observation activities in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region. Due to its geographical proximity, EXCELSIOR can become a hub for partners in Middle Eastern and Northern African countries. Cyprus' unique geostrategic position can support Earth Observation from satellite programmes in three continents and provide valuable services in the processes of satellite calibration and validation. Finally, the distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus are presented in this paper.

Oil spills are a major source of marine pollution affecting the environment, economy, and marine ecosystems. Toxic chemicals from oil spills can remain in the ocean for years and even sink to the seabed, affecting sedimentation rates. Although many oil spills are caused by accident, some are caused intentionally by cargo ships dumping waste oil and bilge water. It is very difficult to locate, detect and remove oil from the ocean surface. However, regular monitoring can help prevent illegal dumping and aid remediation efforts. This work aims to detect oil spills in the North-Eastern part of Cyprus using a deep learning model. The results are compared with a conventional Adaptive Thresholding Algorithm. The comparisons demonstrate that the deep learning model has higher accuracy than the adaptive thresholding algorithm.

Flood is defined as one of the most devastating natural hazards that lead to immeasurable damages in terms of human settlements and economic losses. As part of the Mediterranean region, Cyprus suffers from this disaster, being subjected to extreme events, land use changes and economic development. In this study, flood hazard is estimated and its extent on residential areas, villages, and agricultural areas located within the Garyllis basin is mapped and analyzed with the integration of remote sensing techniques, GIS, in-situ data, field visits and hydraulic modeling. Open-source HEC-RAS software has been used to estimate the spatial pattern of water surface depths during a 24-hour event for a 1000-year return period. Preliminary results indicate that the areas most susceptible to flooding are observed at the southern part of the basin. The intent is to assist policy makers and planners in the development of flood mitigation measures.

Wildfires detection is a major issue for authorities. There are various causes of fire events with the most common being human influence. A fire risk prediction model through the analysis of geo-environmental and climate data is important for early warning and fire management. In this work, a dataset from multiple modalities, including road density, travelers, forest-agriculture interface, burned areas from historical fire events, metrological data, land cover, vegetation indices from data cube, is generated. Artificial intelligence and machine learning models can use this multimodal dataset to improve forest fire management.

This review delves into the pressing need and evolving perspectives on stakeholder engagement to achieve sustainable, resilient, and inclusive ecosystem services, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Understanding and collaboration among key sectors are crucial to reach these objectives. The failure of many initiatives to meet their targets often results from the absence of a unified strategy for involving all stakeholders. Moreover, this review underscores the importance of co-governance and co-creation as integral aspects of effective stakeholder engagement, fostering a sense of ownership among stakeholders. By examining the current landscape and diverse strategies, this study emphasizes the significance of adopting the quintuple helix innovation framework as a holistic approach for sustainable and inclusive stakeholder engagement in advancing EU climate objectives. Finally, the study introduces the co-eco-approach as a potential step forward for achieving the targets of the European Green Deal and New Bauhaus initiatives.