Scotland’s 21,000 km long and complex coastline is where much of our critical national infrastructure is located2. Almost half of the Scottish population lives within 8 km of the coast and Scotland’s artificial defences protect £5 Billion of assets from erosion. Natural informal defences (such as beaches and coastal habitat) protect £14.5 Billion of assets from erosion. However, coastal erosion and flooding affects more of our erodible shore than in the past, with the rate of erosion expected to quicken under all climate change emissions scenarios. Sea level rise due to climate change will result in an almost doubling of the number of properties considered to be at coastal erosion and flood risk in Scotland by 2080s.

The impacts of flooding and erosion on our coastline and communities will vary locally depending on physical factors such as the underlying geology and existing natural or man-made defences. It will also depend on social factors like population demographics and vulnerability. Scotland’s local authorities, planning system and coastal communities need to become ‘sea level wise’ to adapt to future risks.