Goodbye to the coast? A study warns that half of the world’s beaches may disappear by 2100

The planet’s coastal regions are being “crushed” by the combined pressure of climate-driven sea level rise and ever-expanding human development. The warning was issued by Uruguayan marine scientist Omar Defeo (University of the Republic) and published in Marine Pollution Bulletinwhich presented data from global studies showing that beach erosion is rapidly accelerating.

According to DeFeo, the forecast is alarming: “Almost half the beaches will be gone by the end of the century.” Not only does this process destroy biodiversity and affect local economies that depend on fishing and tourism, it also makes coastal cities more vulnerable to water leakage.

The fragile balance of the three coastal regions

To understand the seriousness of the problem, DeFeo explained that the coast is an interconnected ecosystem consisting of three areas that feed each other, through… Bi-directional movement From sediment:

1. Sand dunes (after the beach): It is located above the high tide line and serves as a main line Damping barrier (buffer) against storms.
2. beach face: It is the area exposed during low tide and covered at high tide.
3. Beach front (submerged): It extends from the low tide line to the point where the waves begin to break.

Winds carry sand from the dry beach to the submerged area, and waves bring back the sediment. Urbanization, by clearing sand dunes to build homes or roads, removes this natural protection, dooming coastal structures…

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