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- Introduction
- Natural Disasters
- Ocean conditions affect the size and impact of many natural disasters.
- Spotlight: Dealing with Rapid Changes in Storm Intensity
- Improved forecasting saves lives.
- More data are needed for accurate forecasting.
- From Warnings to Forecasts: Improving Tsunami Detection Systems
- Case Study: Using Research Data in Weather Prediction: The Story of TRMM
- Advances in forecasting require more than just advances in science.
- Shoreline Erosion
- Reducing vulnerability will require tough societal decisions.
- Mitigating shore erosion is complex and requires integrated management plans.
- Case Study: Coastal Louisiana
- Creating seamless land-to-sea maps will help scientists understand coastal threats.
- Conclusions
Introduction
Coastlines
are treasured
the world over for their natural beauty, the recreational opportunities they offer, and the
economic
benefits that result from such coastal industries as tourism, shipping, and fishing. More
than half the world's populations have settled along a coastline, and the number of
people inhabiting coastal areas is projected to increase in the coming decades.
Although living along a coast has many advantages, it also comes with a unique set of
hazards
that can threaten lives, property, and economies. Natural disasters and shoreline erosion
are two of the main threats that coastal communities face. Such communities are
particularly
vulnerable to hurricanes and tsunamis, and as more people move to the coast, the potential
of
such events causing catastrophic loss of life and property damage also rises. Shoreline
erosion,
a worldwide phenomenon that is often exacerbated by coastal storms, is also increasing due
to
a number of factors, including sea level rise and loss of wetland buffer areas.
New scientific advances are helping government agencies and local communities deal with
coastal hazards more effectively and develop long-term hazard management plans.
More people are moving to the coast.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), coastal populations in the
United States have grown by more than 33 million since
1980 and are expected to reach 165 million by 2015.
More than half the U.S. population now lives in 673
coastal counties. More than 60 percent of homes and
buildings within 500 feet of the shoreline are located
along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the nation's fastest growing
areas.
Coastal populations around the world are also growing
at a phenomenal pace. Already, nearly two-thirds of the
world's population—almost 3.6 billion people—live on
or within 100 miles of a coastline. Estimates are that in
three decades, 6 billion people—that is, nearly 75 percent
of the world's population—will live along coasts.
In much of the developing world, coastal populations
are exploding. Two-thirds of Southeast Asian cities with
populations of 2.5 million or more are located along
coasts, and of the 77 major cities in Latin America, 57
are in coastal areas.
