Climate change at the coast

The coast is uniquely exposed to climate change as it will not only experience temperature and rainfall changes seen on land, but will also be affected by rising sea level and changes in erosion and deposition.

Most coastal processes have always changed over time, but there is growing evidence that key processes are now changing more rapidly than in the last century.

Sea-level rise

Although central areas of Scotland have historically benefitted from emergence (i.e. sea levels falling relative to the land as a result of glacial rebound), sometime in the last century this process was overtaken by faster sea-level rise. All of Scotland is now experiencing relative sea-level rise and all of the future projections expect accelerations in the rate of this rise.

For more information visit the UKCP09 website

Sediment supply

Sediment supplied along our soft shorelines controls their stability: surplus sediment can promote accretion, and the removal of sediment can cause erosion. Coastal sediment supply is generally thought to be at an all time low, in part due to river bank and coastal defences. Inappropriate defences can transfer erosion along the coast, so managing sediment supply within coastal zones is important.

Storminess

Storm surges can cause significant coastal damage, so any change in the frequency or intensity of surges is of interest to coastal managers and those living and working near the coast. The penultimate set of projections (UKCIP2004) suggested that there might be an increase in the frequency of storms affecting Scotland and the UK. However, the most recent projections (UKCP09) suggest that the frequency of surges is not likely to change much.

For more information visit the UKCP09 website.

Combined risks

Flooding events can often coincide with other weather events. So often, at the coast, we not only need to consider marine inundation, but also river floods and perhaps pluvial or urban flooding. For more information on these sources of flooding visit SEPA's web pages  .

SNH Research

Scottish Natural Heritage is undertaking various research projects into coastal climate change, many of which consider relative sea-level rise and its impacts. We'll update these web pages with key results as they become available.