A Scottish beach is eroding at a breakneck pace, and it is causing drastic changes to a community.
What's happening?
The coast of Montrose in eastern Scotland eroded 7 meters (about 23 feet) last year, more than twice the average rate of 3 meters (about 10 feet) of erosion predicted in a study by Dynamic Coast in 2021, the Guardian reported. The disappearing land is threatening constant flooding and has taken parts of a 460-year-old golf course with it.
Another report by EnviroCentre in December pegged the average rate of erosion at 2.8 to 7 meters (about 9 to 23 feet) per year and that "observed trends in coastal erosion can be expected to continue, or indeed accelerate in response to future climate change," per the outlet.
The area has lost 70 meters (about 230 feet) in the last 30 years, with multiple tee boxes of the historic Montrose Golf Links gone forever. The Guardian added that if Montrose Bay dunes are not urgently maintained, "there is risk of opening flood corridors through to the town's residential buildings."
In November, a beach promenade collapsed during Storm Babet, which alone caused 3 meters (10 feet) of erosion.
"I would give Montrose another three years maximum and I think it'll be under," Montrose councilor Tommy Stewart previously told the Guardian. "The defences will breach if they don't do anything."
Why is this important?
The EnviroCentre said the erosion could reach 170 meters (about 558 feet) by 2100, per the Guardian. Repair work set for April to dump "vast quantities of sand on to the beach to build up lost levels" is priced at £2 million ($2.6 million USD), though it is a temporary solution to buy time to implement a permanent one.
"The funding will have to come from the Scottish government in some shape or form," David Wood of the Montrose Community Council told the newspaper. "Even the short-term solution in this sort of beach … renourishment is not a one-off. You do it once and you may have to do it every year."
A Scottish government spokesperson said extreme weather events and rising sea levels were wreaking havoc on coastal communities such as Montrose, referring to "the climate emergency."
The root cause of this crisis is the rising global temperature brought on by our use of dirty energy sources, which release polluting gases into the atmosphere that trap heat and drive increasingly frequent and severe weather, including heavy rainfall, flooding, and wildfires.
What's being done about the rising global temperature?
The stopgap sand plan, which has proved ineffective — or effective, depending on your point of view — elsewhere, was the only planned action noted by the Guardian.
Since Mother Nature is undefeated, it seems unlikely that Montrose can do much to keep the sea from eating away the community's land, but we can all take steps to reduce our reliance on the systems that drive the warming of our planet.
Since transportation accounts for 28% of carbon pollution in Scotland, and 41% of that comes from car trips, according to Net Zero Scotland, replacing gas-powered vehicles with public transit and electric vehicles can make a huge impact.
You can also use your voice to influence friends and family, building a web of community activists who seek change from brands and corporations that are responsible for this emergency.
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