CIVIL SERVICES CLUB

Current Affairs 100

CSFC - 2023
Civil Services Foundation Course

Coastline Erosion

Relevance- For Prelims: not much; For Mains: GS-1- changes in critical
geographical features; GS-3- Environmental Pollution and Degradation

Why in news?

 A recent study published by University of Queensland has alarmed the

humans that only about 16% of the world's coastal regions are in
relatively good condition, and many are so degraded that they cannot be
restored to their original state.

Why are Coastal areas vital?

 Coastal regions encompass some of the most diverse and unique

ecosystems on Earth.
 They include coral reefs, kelp forests, seagrass, tidal flats, mangroves,
estuaries, salt marshes, wetlands and coastal wooded habitat.
 Many animal species, including the migratory ones, rely on coastlines for
breeding, foraging and protection.
 Coastal sites are also where rivers discharge, mangrove forests exchange
nutrients with the ocean, and tidal flows are maintained.
 Humans also need coastlines as they support our fisheries, protect us
from storms and, most importantly, store carbon to help mitigate climate
change.

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 As much as 74% of the world's population live within 50 kilometres of

the coast.

Pressure on Coastal environment

 In marine environment
o fishing at various intensities
o land-based nutrient pollution, organic chemical pollution, and
light pollution- direct human impacts such as through recreation-
ocean shipping
o human-induced climate change (and associated ocean
acidification, sea-level rise and increased sea surface
temperatures).
 On land
o Creating built environments, such as coastal developments leading
to ecological disturbance.
o Electricity and transport infrastructure - cropping and pasture
lands, which clears ecosystems and causes chemical and nutrient
runoff into waterways.

Research Findings

 No coastal region was free from human influence. However, 15.5% of

Earth's coastal regions remained intact - where humans had exerted only
low pressure. They are found in Canada>Russia>Greenland (Denmark).
 47.9% of coastal regions have been exposed to very high levels of human
pressure and for 84% of countries, more than half their coastal regions
were degraded.
 Human pressures were high in about 43% of protected coastal regions -
those regions purportedly managed to conserve nature.

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 Coastal regions containing sea grasses, savannah and coral reefs had the
highest levels of human pressure compared to other coastal ecosystems.
Some coastal regions may be so degraded that they cannot be restored.

How to tackle the problem?

 Improving environmental governance and laws related to encroaching

development;
 increasing well-resourced protected areas;
 mitigating land-use change to prevent increased pollution run-off;
 better community and local engagement;
 strengthening Indigenous involvement in managing coastal regions;
 effective management of fishing resources;
 tackling geopolitical and socioeconomic drivers of damage to coastal
environments.

Way Forward

 There is an urgent need for national and global policies and programs to
effectively managing areas where the land and ocean converge.
 Humanity's impact on Earth's coastal regions is already severe and
widespread. Without urgent change, the implications for both coastal
biodiversity and society will become even more profound.

Additional Information

 According to a recent technical report by the National Centre for Coastal

Research (NCCR), between 1990 and 2018 nearly 32% of India’s coastline
underwent sea erosion and 27% of it experienced expansion.
 NCCR carried out a national shoreline change assessment mapping for
Indian coast using 28 years of satellite data from 1990 to 2018 along

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nine coastal states and two Union territories (UT) to provide information
for coastal management strategy.
 Relevant Facts for Prelims:
o Erosion: 60% of the coastline underwent erosion during the period
in West Bengal, followed by 56% in Puducherry.
o As many as 98 coastal pockets of the country have been facing sea
erosion. Tamil Nadu has 26 coastal areas vulnerable to sea
erosion, followed by West Bengal (16).
o Expansion: Odisha’s coast expanded by 51% followed by Andhra
Pradesh, which expanded by 48%.
 Significance
o The coastal erosion impacts coastal communities residing in the
erosion prone areas, including fishermen communities.

Note: Planning and execution of anti-sea erosion measures are undertaken by

the maritime states and UTs as per their own priority and from their own
resources. The role of the Union government is technical and advisory.

About NCCR

 The NCCR, an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, monitors

shoreline changes along the Indian coast.
 NCCR is envisaged to develop and improve the country’s capabilities in
addressing the challenging problems prevailing in the coastal zone,
which have societal, economic and environmental implications.

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