1. BACKGROUND Over the last 15 years, the UK has evolved a sophisticated approach to coastal mana... more 1. BACKGROUND Over the last 15 years, the UK has evolved a sophisticated approach to coastal management in order to deal with management issues on a coastline that is some 12,400 kilometres long and varies in terms of: • It’s geology, erodability and sediment supply; • The driving hydrodynamic variables (e.g. wave and tidal energies); • The rates of sea level rise/fall; and, • It’s commercial, residential, agricultural and recreational usage (Figure 1). Figure 1: The UK’s varied coastline The strategic framework that has been developed provides management solutions that avoid disruption to natural processes and which are sustainable in the long term. The key tenets of this approach (MAFF, 2001) are that it: • Takes a long-term view; • Is forward looking when identifying future problems; • Seeks to develop innovative, but appropriate, solutions; • Has a comprehensive regard to impacts; • Provides for the thorough assessment and reduction of risks; and • Shows balanced decision making...
Introduction Rising sea levels and climate change mean that many coastlines will change significa... more Introduction Rising sea levels and climate change mean that many coastlines will change significantly over the next century. Adapting to this coastal change will require a change in the way flood and erosion risks are managed in many areas. Such changes may have significant effects on local stakeholders and it is important that these stakeholders can enter fully into the consultation process in order to make their views known. Consultation involves a number of aspects, however, one key aspect is ensuring that stakeholders understand the reasons behind management policies that are proposed. Inevitably, this understanding alone may not remove objections to contentious policies, but does at least ensure that stakeholders are able to fully engage with the consultation process. Coastal management simulator The present paper describes an innovative approach that is being developed in the UK to stimulate public debate and improve stakeholder understanding of the issues that need to be bala...
Climate change, or more accurately climate destabilisation, is a real and growing threat to the e... more Climate change, or more accurately climate destabilisation, is a real and growing threat to the environment and our own quality of life. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change (Stern, 2007) suggested that climate change threatens to be the greatest and widest-ranging market failure ever seen. The effects of climate destabilisation are particulary evidence around the worlds coasts where likely effects include: • More extreme weather conditions everywhere, including more devastating hurricanes and floods; and, • Rising sea levels leading to more frequent flooding in low lying countries, mainly in the developing world where large populations are vulnerable. Some of these potential impacts are already taking place around the world require for the development of long term strategic plans for the management the risks posed by flood and coastal erosion. Achieving shoreline management solutions that are sustainable in the long term and which requires that we: • Take a long-term...
The Proceedings of the Coastal Sediments 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT To work with natural processes we must first understand them. This paper describes a pro... more ABSTRACT To work with natural processes we must first understand them. This paper describes a programme of research specifically designed to support the development of strategic management plans, through an improved understanding of natural processes. The research was commissioned to improve understanding of tidal currents, water levels, waves and sediment transport in the Cell Eleven region, between the Great Orme in North Wales and the Scottish Border. Large areas of land and thousands of properties near this 560km of shoreline are at risk of flooding or erosion. In many locations coastal defences depend upon extensive inter-tidal areas and there is presently uncertainty over future sedimentary processes changes. The research includes the Cell Eleven Tidal and Sediment Transport Study (CETaSS) and a Cell wide Joint Probability Study for waves and water levels, both of which are closely interlinked to the regional monitoring strategy. It aims to: • reduce uncertainty relating to coastal processes, specifically tidal currents and sediment transport; and, • provide coastal process information and understanding to improve the evidence base for selection of future flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCRM) policies in the SMP and subsequent Strategy studies. The research has been driven by end user requirements based on issues identified from a number of sources (e.g. SMP1, Futurecoast, stakeholder consultation, and SMP2). The issues include uncertainty over: sediment pathways; offshore bank and beach linkages; role of surges in onshore sediment transport; and the response of inter-tidal areas and estuaries to sea level rise. The paper will present key findings from the studies and demonstrate how the reporting has been tailored to answering the specific questions frequently posed by end users.
1. Background The world’s coastlines are subject to an increasing number of physical, environment... more 1. Background The world’s coastlines are subject to an increasing number of physical, environmental, socio-economic pressures. Balancing these pressures to manage coastal erosion and flooding risks at the coast requires the development of sustainable long term and large scale strategic approaches. This can be particularly important in countries with fast developing economies where demand for use of the coastal zone is rapidly increasing and decisions on new development need to be taken. Experience gained where such approaches have been adopted previously can be invaluable. The lessons learned elsewhere can help to inform development and implementation of strategic planning. Such experience exists within the UK where a strategic framework and a range of tools have been developed over the last two decades. These approaches have vastly improved our understanding of coastal issues and transformed thinking about coastal defence both now and for the future. The paper will illustrate that ...
1. BACKGROUND Over the last 15 years, the UK has evolved a sophisticated approach to coastal mana... more 1. BACKGROUND Over the last 15 years, the UK has evolved a sophisticated approach to coastal management in order to deal with management issues on a coastline that is some 12,400 kilometres long and varies in terms of: • It’s geology, erodability and sediment supply; • The driving hydrodynamic variables (e.g. wave and tidal energies); • The rates of sea level rise/fall; and, • It’s commercial, residential, agricultural and recreational usage (Figure 1). Figure 1: The UK’s varied coastline The strategic framework that has been developed provides management solutions that avoid disruption to natural processes and which are sustainable in the long term. The key tenets of this approach (MAFF, 2001) are that it: • Takes a long-term view; • Is forward looking when identifying future problems; • Seeks to develop innovative, but appropriate, solutions; • Has a comprehensive regard to impacts; • Provides for the thorough assessment and reduction of risks; and • Shows balanced decision making...
Introduction Rising sea levels and climate change mean that many coastlines will change significa... more Introduction Rising sea levels and climate change mean that many coastlines will change significantly over the next century. Adapting to this coastal change will require a change in the way flood and erosion risks are managed in many areas. Such changes may have significant effects on local stakeholders and it is important that these stakeholders can enter fully into the consultation process in order to make their views known. Consultation involves a number of aspects, however, one key aspect is ensuring that stakeholders understand the reasons behind management policies that are proposed. Inevitably, this understanding alone may not remove objections to contentious policies, but does at least ensure that stakeholders are able to fully engage with the consultation process. Coastal management simulator The present paper describes an innovative approach that is being developed in the UK to stimulate public debate and improve stakeholder understanding of the issues that need to be bala...
Climate change, or more accurately climate destabilisation, is a real and growing threat to the e... more Climate change, or more accurately climate destabilisation, is a real and growing threat to the environment and our own quality of life. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change (Stern, 2007) suggested that climate change threatens to be the greatest and widest-ranging market failure ever seen. The effects of climate destabilisation are particulary evidence around the worlds coasts where likely effects include: • More extreme weather conditions everywhere, including more devastating hurricanes and floods; and, • Rising sea levels leading to more frequent flooding in low lying countries, mainly in the developing world where large populations are vulnerable. Some of these potential impacts are already taking place around the world require for the development of long term strategic plans for the management the risks posed by flood and coastal erosion. Achieving shoreline management solutions that are sustainable in the long term and which requires that we: • Take a long-term...
The Proceedings of the Coastal Sediments 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT To work with natural processes we must first understand them. This paper describes a pro... more ABSTRACT To work with natural processes we must first understand them. This paper describes a programme of research specifically designed to support the development of strategic management plans, through an improved understanding of natural processes. The research was commissioned to improve understanding of tidal currents, water levels, waves and sediment transport in the Cell Eleven region, between the Great Orme in North Wales and the Scottish Border. Large areas of land and thousands of properties near this 560km of shoreline are at risk of flooding or erosion. In many locations coastal defences depend upon extensive inter-tidal areas and there is presently uncertainty over future sedimentary processes changes. The research includes the Cell Eleven Tidal and Sediment Transport Study (CETaSS) and a Cell wide Joint Probability Study for waves and water levels, both of which are closely interlinked to the regional monitoring strategy. It aims to: • reduce uncertainty relating to coastal processes, specifically tidal currents and sediment transport; and, • provide coastal process information and understanding to improve the evidence base for selection of future flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCRM) policies in the SMP and subsequent Strategy studies. The research has been driven by end user requirements based on issues identified from a number of sources (e.g. SMP1, Futurecoast, stakeholder consultation, and SMP2). The issues include uncertainty over: sediment pathways; offshore bank and beach linkages; role of surges in onshore sediment transport; and the response of inter-tidal areas and estuaries to sea level rise. The paper will present key findings from the studies and demonstrate how the reporting has been tailored to answering the specific questions frequently posed by end users.
1. Background The world’s coastlines are subject to an increasing number of physical, environment... more 1. Background The world’s coastlines are subject to an increasing number of physical, environmental, socio-economic pressures. Balancing these pressures to manage coastal erosion and flooding risks at the coast requires the development of sustainable long term and large scale strategic approaches. This can be particularly important in countries with fast developing economies where demand for use of the coastal zone is rapidly increasing and decisions on new development need to be taken. Experience gained where such approaches have been adopted previously can be invaluable. The lessons learned elsewhere can help to inform development and implementation of strategic planning. Such experience exists within the UK where a strategic framework and a range of tools have been developed over the last two decades. These approaches have vastly improved our understanding of coastal issues and transformed thinking about coastal defence both now and for the future. The paper will illustrate that ...
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Papers by Nigel Pontee