SACOSTA (Environmental Sensitivity of the Coastline) is a web-based map viewer which displays cartographic data related to the environmental sensitivity of the coastline of the Balearic Islands. The viewer was developed to be a decision-making tool to support responses to potential oil spills. The categorization of the coastline is based on the standards defined by NOAA (2002) and is comprised of three main components: a) geomorphological classification of the coast; b) biological resources (coastal protected areas); and c) human use (i.e. infrastructures, services, cultural and historic resources).
The SACOSTA tool complies with OGC interoperability standards and the criteria of the INSPIRE directive. The data can be accessed directly through the map viewer, via Google Earth (metadata window), or via a WMS. The descriptions of the data are available in the metadata catalogue of SOCIB.
The spatial data were obtained in 2005-2006 via a formal agreement between the Department of the Interior of the Government of the Balearic Islands and the University of the Balearic Islands. The data have been revised and updated by SOCIB.
