Marble Waste Transformed into Coastal Defenses Against Climate Change

As of October 2025, the European Med-IREN project is working to make the Tuscan coast more resilient to the effects of climate change. The project is focused on the area of Marina di Pisa, where it is using recycled marble waste to create natural barriers against storms and rising sea levels.

The innovative approach takes advantage of the natural morphodynamic features of gravel and pebble beaches. The stronger the sea, the more these beaches reshape themselves, forming a ridge that prevents water overflow. The energy of the waves is absorbed by these "dynamic barriers" made of marble waste, which significantly reduce the chances of flooding in the inland areas.

Alongside the University of Florence, the Tuscany Region, and the Municipality of Pisa, the project also includes an advanced monitoring network to enhance the prevention system. This involves the installation of wave buoys to measure sea motion, water level gauges to analyze coastal response to extreme weather events, and assessments of the long-term durability of the marble gravel using GPS and webcam systems.

The lessons learned from this nature-based solution in Marina di Pisa will later be replicated in four other European regions to promote the dissemination of best practices in climate resilience. The Med-IREN consortium, which launched a year ago, is now moving into the second operational phase, focused on co-creation and real-world testing until 2028.