Our changing coast

We use ‘coastal change’ to mean physical changes in the coast and its surrounding areas caused by coastal erosion, landslides, flooding from rivers, stream and surface water, storminess, as well as sea level rise and its impacts on people and nature. Its not only important to consider sea level rise but also high tides and the effect of storms on tidal surges.

• Scotland has a coastline of 21,000 km, including islands. Areas of the coast are highly vulnerable to serious erosion and flooding due to climate change.
• We have experienced significant changes at the coast over the last few years with increasing public awareness and concern, as seen on Dynamic Coast’s erosion reporter.
• A new approach is needed with communities playing a much stronger  role in making decisions about our coastline and taking action. It’s really important to incorporate local knowledge into coastal adaptation action.
• You can see how your coastline has changed on Dynamic Coast web maps.

This isn’t just a future problem – coastal change is happening today

The Dynamic Coast National Coastal Change Assessment Overview (2017) found:

• The soft coastline (coasts with the potential to erode) makes up 19% (3,802 km) of the Scottish coast. However, between a half and a third of all coastal buildings, roads, rail and water network lie in these erodible sections.
• At least £20bn of roads, rail and residential property lie at the coast. £15bn of these are behind erodible shores, with £5bn protected by artificial defences.
• Where coastal changes occur, they are faster than before. Nationally, average erosion rates since the 1970s have doubled from before to 1.0 metres each year whilst accretion (the deposition of material at the shoreline, leading to the gain of land as the coast advances) rates have almost doubled to 1.5 metres each year.
• If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and we fail to act, an estimated £ 1.2B of assets may be at risk of erosion by 2050. If we reduce emissions quickly, only 1/3 of these at risk assets are safe, So adaptation is as important as emissions reductions.