This course critically explores the physical, social and policy dimensions of coastal management. The coast is the most dynamic landform on earth and global population densities are significantly higher in coastal areas than in non-coastal areas. This combination of dynamic human and physical landscapes, together with uncertainties around future changes in sea level, climate, and socio-economic conditions, poses unique management challenges. The course recognizes that the nature of coastal environments is a function of physical coastal dynamics, the history of human occupation and utilization of the coast, and governmental decision-making. The continued development pressures and competition for coastal space and resources require locally relevant, informed, and implementable management responses. We discuss shifts in management approaches in the coastal environment and consider the relevance of participatory approaches in achieving informed local outcomes. National and international examples are used, from a range of countries, to highlight key coastal management issues.
A major theme in this course is aware of the lack of rigorous research that has been undertaken to identify/explore the physical, social and economic vulnerability of the New Zealand coast to coastal hazards. As a coastal nation, New Zealand’s population, major infrastructure, and economic activities are located on the coast. Paradoxically, New Zealand has devoted little effort to establish its vulnerability to natural coastal hazards (sea-level change, storms, flooding, and erosion), nor assessed the wider impacts of this vulnerability on society. Over the next century, sea-level rise, climatic variability, and increasing human occupation and exploitation of the coast (and associated uncertainty) will change the nature of coastal risk and increase the vulnerability of coastal communities. This represents a profound challenge for coastal communities and managers. We explore a range of coastal hazard adaptation approaches to deal with changing coastal hazard risk, from engineered coastal management options, such as sea walls, to managed retreat from the coastal margin.
The skills developed in this course are particularly useful for those wishing to have a career involving any aspect of environmental management, coastal/marine science, or coastal engineering.