Increased instability and erosion of coastlines (especially in the upper Adriatic) has been documented by the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment (Insula, 2000) and is further exacerbated by subsidence from natural and anthropic factors like natural gas and water extraction. In helping to formulate adaptation strategies, the relative costs and benefits of different choices need to be known, as well as the cost of the damage expected to be caused by climate change and the extent to which an adaptation strategy can ameliorate such damage. Meanwhile, the current inlet configuration, together with the dredged navigation channels for large ships, promotes erosion and net export of sediment to the sea.