ConTech has the potential to transform the traditional construction industry with its cutting-edge research on technology and data analytics. In the age of large-scale infrastructural development, ConTech can play a critical role in driving productivity and efficiency and minimizing risks. Predictive analysis backed by data can be an important tool for disaster management. By forecasting future events, ConTech professionals across the world are building adaptive infrastructure resilient to the perils of climate change. Recently, a team of researchers from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, University of Groningen, Utrecht University, TU Delft, and the Dutch Forestry Commission studied the impact of human infrastructure on coastlines using geospatial data and other metrics. The researchers consisting of Eva M. Lansu, Valérie C. Reijers, Solveig Höfer, Arjen Luijendijk, Max Rietkerk, Martin J. Wassen, Evert Jan Lammerts, and Tjisse van der Heide found that the world’s coastlines are rapidly shrinking due to the increasing proximity of human infrastructure to the sea, and the pressures of economic development and population growth. The researchers have proposed that demarcating coastlines as natural reserves will reverse this precarious trend and have a more positive effect on both coastal ecosystems and sustainable infrastructure.
A recent study has pointed out the serious impacts of infrastructure development on the world’s sandy beaches through a phenomenon called the ‘coastal squeeze’.
• The increasing proximity of human infrastructure to the sea, and the pressures of economic development and population growth are the main factors behind the global costal squeeze.
• About 33% of the world’s beaches have shrunk to less than 100 meters and are at risk of extinction.
• Europe is most severely affected by infrastructure-related coastal squeeze. Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, and the United States of America are the most affected countries.
• The researchers have proposed that the creation of natural reserves can reverse this trend. Currently, only 16% of the world’s beaches have a protected status.
While other forms of phenomena like shoreline retreat, coastal erosion, and sea level rise are well-researched, coastal squeeze through infrastructure remains an understudied phenomenon.
Coastlines are generally defined as wide stretches of land along the sea with a gentle sea-to-land gradient. The coastal ecosystem supports a variety of life forms and natural features such as reefs, sea grass, sandy beaches, dunes, and other vegetation. They are considered extremely important due to their role as natural flood barriers and as reserves of carbon, freshwater, and biodiversity. The growth of human infrastructure near the sea is progressively limiting the space available for coastal ecosystems to thrive. This phenomenon of space reduction in coastal areas is known as ‘coastal squeeze’.
There are a range of factors behind the reduction of coastal areas like sea level rise, extreme weather conditions, eutrophication, salinization, and pollution. However, researchers undertaking this study have argued that the most serious factor behind coastal squeeze is the growth of infrastructure near the shore.
he crux of the research was to get a global perspective of the coastal squeeze affected by human infrastructure. The team used a comprehensive dataset of 235,469 (25-km transects) of the world’s sandy coasts along with the latest data on infrastructure available on OpenStreetMap and Global Urban Footprint to calculate the extent of coastal squeeze. The researchers found that infrastructure constructions have advanced dangerously close to the sea, shrinking about 33% of the world’s coasts to less than 100 meters. They have warned that by 2100, 23 – 30% of these beaches will be underwater due to rising sea levels.
The researchers have used various metrics to analyze the phenomenon of coastal squeeze holistically. They have pointed out that the median infrastructure-free width in global coasts is 392 meters, which implies that most coasts have the closest human-made structure within this distance. They have reported that in 28% of the world’s coasts, heavy infrastructure like buildings and highways exists within 100 meters of the shore. The researchers have also indicated that heavy infrastructure like dikes and dams could have led to the destruction of many beaches.
Using the latest mapping tools, the researchers analyzed the geospatial data on the coastal squeeze at a global level. According to their findings, Europe is the continent most severely affected by infrastructure-related coastal squeeze where the median infrastructure-free width stands at 131 meters. It is closely followed by Asia with an infrastructure-free width of 151 meters. Africa (1.6 km) and Oceania (2.8 km) are relatively free of immediate infrastructure on their coasts. Among countries, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, and the United States of America have a serious risk of a coastal squeeze with their median infrastructure-free width of 70 meters.
The most important correlation observed by the researchers was between coastal squeeze and socio-economic metrics like population density and gross domestic product (GDP).
Using nation-wise GDP data and data on population density from Worldpop, a global data repository, the researchers constructed a simple multiple linear regression model to explain their effect on coastal squeeze. As expected, densely populated areas and countries with a higher GDP were more prone to coastal squeeze. The impact of population density was observed to be marginally higher than that of GDP.
Based on the findings, the researchers have formulated a policy intervention advocating for the creation of nature reserves in coastal areas. This measure is suggested as existing methods of coastal retention like hard-structure engineering and mega-nourishments of the beach depend on complex variables or are simply too expensive. Depending on the type of beach (like rural or urban, and the width of the shore), alternative strategies like managed retreat of the shoreline can be implemented. However, based on their correlative findings, the researchers strongly suggest that protecting beaches through the creation of natural reserves can have a lasting impact on coastal ecosystems. The gradual expansion of the infrastructure-free width will help create an accommodation space that will make strategies like managed retreat possible in the near future. As only 16% of the world’s coasts have a protected status, extending it to the remaining beaches will open the doors to a risk-free and sustainable model of development.
Through a global analysis of how human infrastructure squeezes sandy coasts, researchers have pointed out the criticality of coastal ecosystems and how well-planned policies can mitigate potential natural disasters. The research points out that unregulated infrastructure construction is the leading cause behind coastal squeeze. The effects of coastal squeeze can be observed across countries and continents where more than 33% of beaches have infrastructure developments within 100 meters of the shoreline. These beaches are under the threat of extinction due to rising sea levels. The research has further delved into the impact of socio-economic variables like population density and GDP on coastal squeeze. Based on a study of existing models of prevention of coastal squeeze, the researchers have suggested that the creation of natural reserves by granting protected area status to beaches can have long-lasting impacts on our coastal ecosystems.
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By Proptechbuzz
By Ravi Kumar
