Ecological risk assessment of the Adriatic coastline

In this article, we develop a customized environmental sensitivity index (ESI) for the sensitivity of the Adriatic coast to oil spills. Our approach integrates the perceptions of local experts, scientists, and citizens with the objective entropy weight method to produce an ESI tailored to the specific characteristics of the region. The resulting sensitivity categorization is more conservative than the standard ESI. Most groups consulted were in agreement, but citizens held different views on harbor areas and artificial shores. The analysis also revealed significant gaps among all respondents, particularly in relation to the Montenegrin and Albanian coasts. This research is a fundamental step toward combining expert interviews with objective data to gain a more nuanced understanding of oil spill vulnerability in the Adriatic. The results will feed into the development of a targeted action plan for the region, which is an area with heavy maritime traffic and a high risk of accidents.