Coastal defences promoting inland flooding

The continuing erosion of the coastline has been attributed to the effects of sea level rise, hurricanes and storm events with their higher sea levels and wave attack, which are becoming more common as a result of climate change. The most popular method of mitigating the effects of wave attack and trying to stop or delay coastal retreat has been to harden the coastline by building sea walls or rock revetments. However, by stopping natural erosion processes, coastal defence structures prevent coastal ecosystems from moving inland and disrupting sand supplies, leading to increased beach erosion.

Nº 10


  • Climate & Atmosphere
  • Adaptation to Environmental Degradation
  • Protection Against Flooding
some attempts made
past case
Region-1
Region-2
Region-3
Region-4
ongoing case
no attempts made

None

Coastal defences promoting inland flooding

The continuing erosion of the coastline has been attributed to the effects of sea level rise, hurricanes and storm events with their higher sea levels and wave attack, which are becoming more common as a result of climate change. The most popular method of mitigating the effects of wave attack and trying to stop or delay coastal retreat has been to harden the coastline by building sea walls or rock revetments. However, by stopping natural erosion processes, coastal defence structures prevent coastal ecosystems from moving inland and disrupting sand supplies, leading to increased beach erosion.

Cities in Indonesia, such as Jakarta, are facing growing environmental challenges such as flooding and land subsidence. To address the problem of coastal flooding, the construction of sea walls has been proposed. However, studies suggest that these seawalls are inadequate for the unique local ecosystem characterised by soft, muddy shores. They risk blocking the flow of water and sediment into the sea, which could lead to inland flooding and possibly accelerate land subsidence.

  • Frustrated the efforts to address the initial problem
  • Cascading (far-reaching effects following each other)

Jiménez, M. (2021, October). Rising above water. Utrecht University. Available at https://www.uu.nl/en/organisation/in-depth/rising-above-water

Takagi, H., Fujii, D., Esteban, M., & Yi, X. (2017). Effectiveness and Limitation of Coastal Dykes in Jakarta: The Need for Prioritizing Actions against Land Subsidence. Sustainability, 9, 1-15.

No literature found on this case.

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