Competition for Coasts

Competition for Coasts

1. The nature of coasts

   • Land
     • Shape, Relief, Presence or lack of beach, Structure, Resistance of rocks, Sub-aerial processes, River Sediments and Coastal ecosystems.
   • Weather and Climate
     • Wind strength and direction, Rainfall and temperature, Storms and Surges
   • Human Activities
     • Intervention in natural systems, Use of land for development and Exploitation of resources
   • Sea
     • Marine ecosystems, Wave energy and direction, Size and type of waves, Local currents and Longshore drift, Tidal changes and Water Depth.

2. Goods and Services

   • Food crops
   • Meat and fish
   • Building material
   • Water source
   • Energy via biomass
   • Genetic resources for medicine etc.
   • Climate regeneration
   • Air purification
   • Water control
   • Flood protection
   • Water purification
   • Cycling of nutrients
   • Generation of humus to produce soil
   • Biodiversity
   • Provision of habitats
   • Aesthetic enjoyment
   • Recreation
   • Gene pool for the future
   • Employment opportunity

3. In 1990, around 30% of the world's population lived on the coast

   • By 2002 that figure had risen to around 40%

4. Some of the world's fasted growing megacities are on the coast

   • e.g. Lagos (Nigeria) and Shanghai (China)

5. Coastal development timeline

   • c. 1000 - Early concentration of population encouraged by food security and transport opportunities
   • c. 1300 - Some settlements became seats of political and economic power
   • c. 1600 - European colonisation of the Americas, Asia and Australia
   • c. 1750 - Industrialisation brings prosperity to ports handling raw materials and manufactured goods
   • c. 1800 - Increased security of coast encourages settlement growth
   • c. 1850 - Tourism takes off
   • c. 1970 - Exploitation of offshore oil and natural gas
   • c. 1980 Growth of water-based recreation
   • c. 2000 - Coastal areas are possible providers of wind and tidal power

6. Benidorm

   • Population of 67,000 but in summer peak season it exceeds half a million
   • Development of Benidorm as a coastal resort started in 1954
   • Became popular with British Tourists in the 1960s
   • Good night-life
   • All beaches have blue flag status
   • Population is ageing
   • Increase of 11% in people over 65 in the last 2 years
   • Built up

7. Boscombe, UK

   • On south coast near Bournemouth
   • Europe's first Artificial surf reef
   • The reef will occupy approx. 1 hectare
     • Made from large geotextile sand bags
   • Average 77 good surf days a year
   • Capable of hosting 10,000 surf visits a year
   • Cost around £1.1 million
   • Generate image value of £10 million per year
   • Thought that the reef will strengthen defences