Beaches can survive rising sea levels as long as …

The statement was published by European researchers in an in Nature climate change in March 2020 (sandy coasts threatened by the erosion of Vousdoukas et al).

See “Sandy Beaches of the World Threatened by Climate Change” at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200303113248.htm

However, scientists from the UK, France, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the US have reviewed the data and methods behind the original study and say they disagree with its conclusion at all.

You have now published a counter-argument to the article in the same journal and have come to the conclusion that with the global data and numerical methods available today, it is impossible to make such comprehensive and far-reaching predictions.

Crucial to their disagreement with the original article’s conclusions is the fact that beaches can migrate to shore as sea levels rise and coasts recede.

The basic idea behind this is that beaches that have space under the influence of sea level rise – known as accommodation space – retain their overall shape and form, but in an internal location.

The new study says beaches bordered by hard coastal cliffs and engineering structures such as sea walls are likely to disappear in the future due to rising sea levels, as those beaches are unable to walk on land.

You will first experience a “coastal compression” that narrows its width and eventually you drown.

However, the beaches bordered by low coastal plains, shallow lagoons, salt flats, and dunes migrate inland due to rising sea levels. In these cases the coast will retreat, but the beaches will probably still be preserved, even if a little high and inland, and will certainly not be “extinct”.

According to the new document, there is currently no global information available on the number of beaches that fall into both categories. Therefore, it is impossible to quantify what percentage of the world’s beaches will disappear by 2100.

Andrew Cooper, professor of coastal studies at Ulster University and lead author of the new paper, said: “New methods are needed to predict the effects of sea level rise on the coast. This requires better coastal morphology datasets and a better understanding of the mechanisms involved. When the sea level rises, the retreat of the coast must and will occur, but the beaches will survive. The greatest threat to the survival of the beaches are the coastal protection structures, which limit their ability to migrate. ”

Co-author, Professor Gerd Masselink of the Coastal Processes Research Group at the University of Plymouth, conducted a study earlier this year which found that island drowning is not inevitable with rising water levels. sea.

He added: “Sea level is currently rising and will rise faster and faster in the years to come. This will lead to more coastal erosion and it is crucial to anticipate future land loss and take this into account in coastal management and planning to avoid putting more coastal buildings and infrastructure at risk. In Britain, Coastal Change Management Areas (CCMAs) are becoming increasingly important as a planning tool. CCMAs are areas that should be affected by coastal changes in the future and development in these areas should be avoided. This allows the coast to respond naturally to sea level rise, preventing coast compression and loss of beaches. ”

Coastal structures such as sea walls prevent beaches from naturally adapting to sea level rise by migrating to land. In these environments, structure removal (managed realignment) or nature-based solutions (beach food) may be the only methods to ensure the future of these beaches.

Source of the story:

Materials provided by University of Plymouth. Note: The content can be edited based on style and length.