Coastal Modification

December 2008 Fact Sheet No.16www.ces.vic.gov.au

Coastal values, development & environmental pressures

This fact sheet is one of a series, developed from material presented in Victoria’s first comprehensive State of the Environment Report. The Report is a major undertaking of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability and covers a broad range of environmental issues affecting the State. Its purpose is to improve community understanding of Victoria’s environment, and through the use of recommendations, to enhance its condition for present and future generations. The report was released in December 2008 and is available at www.ces.vic.gov.au

Figure 2: The extent of coastal vegetation is directly associated with the intensity of human uses.

It is ironic that it is because so many Victorians love to be near the coast, enjoying its values, that it can become degraded. In some cases, it is a case of ‘loving the coast to death’.

What this means for the coast

As a result of coastal modification in Victoria, the extent and condition of several coastal vegetation communities is now believed to be significantly decreased. In turn, this loss of habitat has reduced the number and range of animal species. Similarly, the condition of most estuaries, particularly those around the more populated coastal centres, has been degraded. Only a few, in the far east of the State, remain in near-pristine condition.

Another implication of coastal modification is the risk of acid sulfate soils. These soils are not normally a problem unless they are disturbed and exposed to air, for example during building and construction. Upon exposure to air, these soils become acidic, an irreversible reaction. The acid that is released can contaminate wetlands, killing plants and animals. It is estimated that potential acid sulfate soils underlie 55,000 hectares of coastal land, indicating the need for careful land use planning in

Commissioner Environmental SustainabilityVictoria

Key findings

• ThepopulationofcoastalVictoriaisgrowingfasterthanthestate average, particularly in areas close to Melbourne.

• Extensivemodificationofvegetationandestuarieshasoccurred, with land within or close to large coastal settlements most affected.

• Whilethecoasthasundergonesignificantmodificationfrom its natural state, it remains difficult to determine the condition and trends of the coastal environment due to a lack of consistent and reliable data.

• Climatechangewillhaveseriousimplicationsforthecoastalenvironment and for coastal communities.

Coastal development is increasing

The Victorian coast is valued for its unique and diverse attributes and Victorians continue to want to live near and enjoy the coast. Yet, in the 21st century, the coast is a rapidly changing environment, and is subject to unprecedented pressures.

In many cases it is the use and enjoyment of these values (such as those protected in national parks) itself which puts pressure on coastal environments. As a result, Victoria’s coastal environment has been significantly modified, with the rate of modification increasing over time.

Figure 1: Coastal development in Victoria

The extent of degradation of the natural values of the coast is likely to be directly associated with the intensity of human uses: the greater the number of people living in an area, the lower the natural value of the coastline. While there has been rapid urbanisation in some coastal areas, it is estimated that almost 96% of Victoria’s coastline is in public ownership. Ninety percent falls under the National Parks Act or the Crown Lands Act, 55% with the former, higher level of protection. However, as many of these reserves are linear, designed to protect specifically coastal environments, they continue to be subject to pressures from surrounding land use.

affected areas.

The impacts of climate change on the coast

One of the most significant implications of development on the coast relates to the projected rise in sea levels and severity of storms surges as a result of climate change.

The IPCC projects that by 2100, global sea levels will rise between 18 and 79cm above the 1990 baseline levels, and increases on the east coast of Australia may be greater than the global mean sea level rise. In addition altered weather patterns, also caused by climate change, could lead to storm surges of a severity currently rated as ‘1 in 100 year’ events occurring as often as every 5 years.

Figure 3: Storm surges are exacerbated by increased sea level rise and altered weather patterns.

Further, given that climate change phenomena have been tracking at the upper end of recent projections, this estimate itself may be conservative.

The CSIRO has modelled the effects of climate change on coastal areas and estimates that storm surges of up to 2.7 metres above late 20th century sea level could threaten the integrity parts of the Victorian coastal environment, and in turn, homes and other property.

Protecting settlements and coastal values

Strategic and statutory planning must be responsive to the increased pressures of both urbanisation and climate change if natural coastal environments, property and people living near the coast, are to be protected now and into the future.

Township boundaries and settlement plans are two mechanisms being employed by state and local governments to protect coastal values from inappropriate development.

Guidelines for adapting planning to the likely impacts of climate change are also being developed. However, in some cases, policy has not been developed quickly enough and uncertainty in coastal planning remains high.

Figure 4: Strategies for managing sea level rise on the coast.

What the Commissioner says

“The coast is rapidly evolving. Both land use change and sea level rise are putting increased pressures on the cultural and economic services which the coast provides, and which we all value.

“It is essential that both strategic and statutory land use planning take these pressures into account, and, incorporating the ‘precautionary principle’, provide a greater level of certainty to Victorians who want to use the coast into the future.

“It is likely that difficult decisions will have to be made, for example excluding certain areas of low-lying coast from development, or reserving further areas of land for ecosystem services that are threatened by land use change and sea level rise.”

What you can do.• JoinalocalCoastcaregroup• Educateyourfamilyaboutthenaturalvaluesofthecoast• Ifyouwanttoliveonthecoast,avoidbuildingin

environmentally sensitive areas.

For more information

See the State of Environment Report Victoria 2008, Part 4.4; Coasts, Estuaries & The Sea at http://www.ces.vic.gov.au

State of the Environment Victoria 2008 Fact Sheet SeriesPublished by the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Melbourne, Victoria, 2008©The State of Victoria, Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability 2008This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

Authorised by the Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, 16/570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

For further information contact the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, phone +61 3 9637 8000 or visit http://www.ces.vic.gov.au/SoE

DisclaimerThis report may be of assistance to you and every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is correct. It is based largely on data and information provided by the Victorian Government. The Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability does not guarantee that the report is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.