The Continuous Degradation of Europe's Coasts Threatens European Living Standards

Download or read book The Continuous Degradation of Europe's Coasts Threatens European Living Standards written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living by the sea is very attractive. People picture coasts as an immutable asset, yet damaging and irreversible changes to coastal ecosystems continue unabated. Available trends show that changes in land use in coastal areas outstrip those seen elsewhere; for instance, the growth of artificial surfaces along Europe's coasts is increasing at a rate one third faster than in inland areas. These changes are widespread and driven by a range of factors -- demographic changes, economic restructuring, increased living standards and leisure time and global trade patterns. In many coastal regions these factors have caused rapid changes that have drastically altered the potential long-term viability of coastal ecosystems and the services they provide. It is increasingly likely that existing impacts on coastal ecosystems will be exacerbated from now on by climate change.