Basic Criteria for Comprehensive Classification of Russia’s Azov–Black Sea Coasts

Constant seacoast changes represent a natural process for coastal geosystems; moreover, the extent of technogenically transformed coasts is constantly growing. It is impossible to create coastal economic development and conservation plans without understanding how environmental conditions and technogenic transformation affect coastal geosystems. Successful integrated use of the seacoast requires reliable information on the magnitude of observed and projected changes, the admissibility of anthropogenic changes to the coast, and adaption of economic activity to such possible changes. The paper discusses the basic principles for comprehensively assessing Russian coastal areas. A system of criteria is proposed to qualitatively assess the economic and environmental importance of individual coastal areas and their resistance to possible changes. These criteria are tested in some areas of Russia’s Azov–Black Sea coast. A preliminary assessment has shown that accumulative shores are the most dynamic and prone to natural hazards.