coastal flooding risk

• What local factors increase flood risk on some low-lying eustarine coasts?

  height of land

  degree of subsidence

  vegetation removal
• What global factors increase flood risk?

  global sea rise
• How does population density affect risk of flooding?

  densely populated coastal areas increase the number of people at risk

  low-lying coastal areas are often densely populated due to attractive scenery and beaches as well as, being suitable for ports and trade and because deltas are fertile and ideal for agriculture
• How many people globally live in coastal areas below 2m?

  300 million
• What percent of salt marshes and mangroves have been lost since the 1950s?

  50% of salt marshes and 35% of mangroves have been lost since the 1950s due to reclamation for development of housing and transportation networks

  as well as to implement coastal management such as sea walls, shrimp farming and tourism
• How does vegetation impact wave height?

  in the UK, salt marshes are estimated to reduce wave height by up to 80%

  the vegetation here traps sediment, which helps to increase wave height

  also the vegetation reduces the impact of waves and erosion because it absorbs the wave energy
• What is a depression?

  an area of low pressure that forms due to rising air from the surface

  as it rises it cools, condenses and forms clouds, bringing rain

  due to the low-pressure, sea-levels are higher : inverse barometer effect - for every 10mb decrease in pressure, the sea level is 10cm higher
• • Bangladesh - over 10% of the land is 1m or less above sea level
  • Maldives - has an average height of 2m above sea level with highest point being 2.4m
  • Netherlands - 27% of the country is below sea level and protected by sea defences
• • The UK is affected by extra-tropical storms a type of storm system forming in the mid-latitudes, and some studies suggest that climate change may affect the paths of these storms, making parts of the UK more vulnerable to high winds and rain
• What is an environmental refugee?


  Someone who is forced to leave their home due to environmental factors such as natural disasters, climate change, or pollution.