## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Analysis of the Climate Change Plans and Strategies of Coastal Countries in the EU  
The analysis of adaptation instruments implemented by the coastal states of the EU reveals several key similarities and differences. The key topics addressed by these instruments can be differentiated into three main approaches: (i) economic, which represents 57% of the topics covered; (ii) natural, which represents 33% of the topics covered; and (iii) social, which represents 10% of the topics covered. Among the most frequently mentioned topics in each approach are agriculture and energy, biodiversity and water resource management, and human health (Figure 4). Figure 4: Percentages of key topics considered in the adaptation instruments of coastal EU member countries, divided by approaches. The total number of countries that include each specific topic is indicated in parentheses. All countries included in the analysis address at least one key topic within each of the three approaches. In an effort to enhance the resilience of coastal areas, the EU has incorporated a series of cross-cutting instruments into its policy framework, and these include the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000), the Recommendation on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) (2002), the Floods Directive (2007), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (2008), and Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) (2014) [42]. Subsequently, the first European Adaptation Strategy (2013) acknowledged the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change effects due to their high exposure [33; 42]. As a result, the number of plans and strategies that address coastal areas has steadily increased (Figure 5), and numerous countries have developed specific policies and strategic instruments for coastal zones in the context of climate change. Discussion  
In most of the documents, the importance of both current and future climate variability is emphasized as a crucial factor for planning. One exception to this trend is Lithuania, in which the primary focus is on the procedures for implementing the plan itself. Furthermore, more than half of the plans underline the need for monitoring and evaluation after the implementation of adaptation measures, with the exceptions being Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Lithuania, and Sweden. This continuous evaluation is critical to ensure that the measures are effective and functional and have positive environmental effects, as indicated by previous studies [26; 35; 42]. Some countries do not perceive the effects of climate change solely as negative, and potential benefits are identified [11]. This is the case for Cyprus, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, and the Netherlands, where benefits such as longer agricultural, forestry, and tourism seasons are projected due to rising temperatures. All of these changes could boost the economies of the countries in question. Numerous countries have opted to develop tailored legal and strategic frameworks addressing the specific vulnerabilities of coastal areas in the face of climate change. Among the most notable instruments are Germany's GAK Law (2015), the aim of which is to improve coastal protection measures, and Bulgaria's Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning Act (2016), which specifically regulates coastal construction. Spain, in turn, launched the Spanish Coastal Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2017, with the goal of increasing the resilience and adaptive capacity of its coasts in response to climate change. In the same year, Portugal introduced its Coastal Action Plan, which proposes an active and sustainable management approach for coastal zones and considers both short- and long-term impacts. More  
Figure 5: Inclusion of coastal zone management in the NAS [National Adaptation Strategy] and NAP [National Adaptation Plan] of coastal EU Member States in the years 2005 to 2024.  
recently, in 2023, Romania adopted the National Water Management Strategy 2023-2035.