The UK's landscape challenges
Study the resources below concerning coastal management challenges in the UK.
Figure 1a: Predicted coastal erosion risk and shoreline retreat by 2090 for selected regions of the UK
Figure 1b: Key impacts of coastal erosion and rising sea levels in the UK
- Over 125,000 residential properties are located in areas at high risk of losing land to erosion by the end of the century.
- Approximately 40% of the UK's premier agricultural land is located within 5km of the low-lying east coast.
- Coastal tourism contributes over £9.5 billion annually to local economies, which is heavily reliant on accessible beaches and heritage coastal sites.
- Emergency temporary sea defenses can cost up to £18,000 per meter to construct during acute storm surges.
- The displacement of a single coastal household is estimated to cost local authorities an average of £145,000 in relocation assistance and infrastructure write-offs.
Figure 1c: Coastal infrastructure and investment factsheet
- Over the next 30 years, an estimated £26 billion of public funding will be required to maintain and upgrade existing coastal defenses (sea walls, groynes, and rock armour).
- Assets currently within 500 meters of eroding coastlines include: 10 nuclear power installations, 400 miles of major rail corridors, 18 major ports, and over 130 sewage treatment facilities.
- Currently, for every £1 spent on active coastal defense schemes, the national economy is estimated to save approximately £5 in avoided damage over a 50-year period. However, this ratio drops significantly (below £1.20 savings per £1 spent) in low-population rural districts.
Figure 1d: Investment in coastal defense management by region in England (2016–2017 vs 2022–2023)
| Region | 2016–2017 (£ millions) | 2022–2023 (£ millions) |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 42 | 85 |
| East Anglia (East of England) | 58 | 91 |
| South East England | 48 | 68 |
| South West England | 32 | 55 |
| North West England | 22 | 28 |
| Total | 202 | 327 |
Figure 1e: Public perspectives on UK coastal management
- Alistair, a tenant farmer in East Yorkshire: "My family has farmed this arable land for more than a century. It's devastating that the council is choosing a policy of 'managed retreat' here. They are letting our livelihoods sink into the sea because they say our fields aren't worth the cost of rock armour."
- Dr. Fiona, a coastal morphologist and climate advisor: "With sea levels projected to rise significantly due to global warming, some communities are simply undefendable. While hard engineering keeps high-density cities safe, we must make pragmatically difficult choices in rural regions and stop trying to hold back the tide."
- Haris, a holiday park owner in a coastal resort: "If our beach and promenade are swept away, the tourists will stop coming. Without sand replenishment and sea wall maintenance, our entire local economy will collapse within ten years."
- Martha, an environmental policy advocate: "Hard engineering is an expensive temporary fix that disrupts natural sediment flow and starves adjacent beaches. We should work with nature, using managed realignment to create new saltmarshes that act as natural wave absorbers, which also boosts biodiversity."
Question:
Using the information from Figures 1a to 1e, as well as your own geographical knowledge and understanding, discuss the following view:
"Given accelerating rates of shoreline retreat and rising sea levels across the UK, the escalating economic and social costs of protecting vulnerable coastal landscapes will increasingly outweigh the benefits of intervention."