Research to assess the economics of coastal change management in England and to determine potential adaptation pathways for a sample of exposed communities

Descriptions

The Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC) of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is the Government's statutory advisers on preparing for climate change. One of the primary risks from climate change relates to sea level rise and the consequential increases in the chance of coastal flooding and the rate of coastal erosion to vulnerable English coastlines (ASC 2016). The combined effects of erosion and coastal flooding are considered together in this specification as 'coastal change'. A series of Shoreline Management Plans are in place for the entire length of the English coastline. These set out the intended approaches to managing coastal change over the short (to around 2025), medium (to the 2050s) and the long term (to 2100), described by one of four high-level policy options for each of these three planning timescales or 'epochs': •No active intervention - Flood or coastal erosion defences are not introduced, maintained or enhanced. •Hold the (existing defence) line - Flood or coastal erosion defences are built, maintained, replaced and/or enhanced so that the position of the shoreline remains where it currently is. •Managed realignment - Managing the movement of the shoreline to allow or restrict erosion or flooding in certain areas. This is usually done in low-lying areas, but may occasionally apply to cliffs. •Advance the line - New defences are built on the seaward side of existing defence lines. The ASC would like to assess the economics and feasibility of delivering these interventions as set out in the SMPs over the short, medium and long term. For example the ASC has previously concluded that (see ASC 2017, page 119): •The amount of managed realignment of the coastline is still not in line with delivering Shoreline Management Plan aspirations for the 2030s. (Note: based in part on ASC 2013, see from page 100). •It is not known whether actions in Shoreline Management Plans constitute a viable approach to coastal adaptation in the long-term nor how they interface with other national or local plans. This project will therefore aim to conduct a national cost-benefit assessment of coastal change interventions for the English coastline, and to supplement this with a series of case studies looking at adaptation pathways for specific communities exposed to coastal change in the short, medium and longer term. *** Please see specification **