2011 report for JRF by Mary Zsamboky, Amalia Fernandez-Bilbao, David Smith, Jasper Knight and James Allan of Scott Wilson

Coastal areas of the UK may be severely affected by climate change in the future. Some are already experiencing extreme storms or floods and the effects of sea level rise and coastal erosion. Climate change will pose risks and challenges for people, coastal economies and local industry. It may also affect access to, and quality of, basic goods and services.

This study:
• explores the vulnerability to climate change of communities in disadvantaged coastal areas of the UK;
• combines four case studies with a literature review and analysis of likely impacts, interviews and a workshop; and
• provides recommendations for improving their resilience to climate change as part of national and local adaptation responses.

Summary

• Coastal areas are vulnerable to climate change because of rising sea levels and wave heights and accelerated coastal erosion – especially communities relying on the immediate coastal area for their residence, communications and economic and social activities.
• Many are also vulnerable to climate change because of socio-economic issues such as high proportions of older residents and transient populations, low employment levels and high seasonality of work, physical isolation and poor transport links.
• There was a lack of understanding in disadvantaged coastal communities of the range of possible climate change impacts they face and how to respond appropriately. They were more concerned about pressing day-to-day issues such as their income or employment. Residents who had experienced severe events (storms, flooding) had greater awareness of climate change.

Actions needed for coastal communities to adapt to climate change include:

• improved communication of risks and impacts;
• more adaptive local and national institutions;
• ensuring that new development and infrastructure planning takes climate change into account to avoid putting more people at risk;
• increasing capacity to prepare for climate risks and recover from specific events;
• developing better targeted support for those most vulnerable.

The new localism agenda puts an onus on communities and local areas to lead on tackling issues affecting them. But the study found that disadvantaged coastal communities and their local authorities may not be well equipped to do so without considerable support, including funding, from central government.