The coast is a narrow zone where the land and the sea overlap and directly interact. It is affected by terrestrial, atmospheric and marine processes, and represents the most varied and rapidly changing of all landforms and ecosystems. The observed global temperature records, including ocean and land readings, reveal a warming trend during this century of a magnitude within the range predicted by models. Furthermore, the latter half of last century registered the warmest temperatures on record. Thus rising Sea levels due to increasing temperature are a reality.

The observed global temperature records, including ocean and land readings, reveal a warming trend during this century of a magnitude within the range predicted by models. Furthermore, the latter half of last century registered the warmest temperatures on record. At the coastal zone this can lead to rising sea levels and sea floods. Events such as the destructive tsunami of December 2006 in the Pacific and Indian Ocean can be a result of both earthquakes and changes in climate. Cliff erosion rates can increase, due to increased abrasive action of waves changing the coastal landscape. Effects such as mass movements at the cliff edge, can also be  disastrous.

The sea level can fluctuate due to the change of the volume of the water in the oceans. The beach can become exposed because of both uplifting of the surface and decrease of water level. A decrease in the water level can be as a result of lowering of the temperature. Other featrues such as the sea arches on the beach can also be exposed to the surface when the volume of water in the oceans decreases.

 

   Stop and Think!

Look at the pictures in the right side and explain how they will be affected by changing climate.