Increasing risks of coastal recession and coastal flooding (Edexcel A-Level Geography): Revision Notes

Increasing risks of coastal recession and coastal flooding

The Serious Consequences for Affected Communities

Economic Consequences

• Loss of property - Homes, businesses & farmland
  • In the UK the gov does not pay compensation to those who lose their homes to coastal erosion
• Impact on amenity value - includes access, roads & paths
• Falling property prices
• Difficulty of getting insurance

Social consequences

• Costs of relocation
• Loss of livelihoods
• Impact on health - stress
• Death & injury

Environmental consequences

• Loss of coastal ecosystems & habitats
• Increasingly unattractive landscape from collapsing cliffs etc and boarded-up properties etc
• Failing sea defences
• Blocked roads

Environmental refugees

↳ Communities are forced to abandon their homes because of natural processes. Such as:

• Rising sea levels
• More intense storms and associated events
• Coral reefs being attacked by bleaching
• Saltwater incursion into freshwater supplies

Statistics

• Around 5 mil people have been displaced due to climate-related events between 2008 and 2016
• WB study estimated that more than 100 million people will be pushed into poverty by climate change by 2030