REALIZING THE BENEFITS OF SHORELINE MANAGEMENT

Some 70 per cent of the world's shorelines are in recession (Bird, 198 5). This is likely to be exacerbated if sea levels rise as a result of global warming; particularly in flat, low-lying regions. In recent ye ars methods of coastal engineering have moved from 'hard' sea-wall typ e solutions toward so called 'soft' techniques, such as beach nourishm ent. These demand a much better understanding of the coastal processes that prevail. By acknowledging the regional scale of such processes, the benefits of a strategic approach to the provision of coastal works has been identified. This is now leading to a more integrated approac h to shoreline management, which seeks to identify and resolve conflic ts of interest. Within England and Wales, Shoreline Management Plans a re now being implemented around the coast. These are beginning to rais e a number of issues, particularly in the context of sustainable devel opment, such as protection of isolated dwellings, or nature conservati on interests. It seems that these can only be resolved through a close r integration of long-term coastal planning with engineered solutions. This paper briefly reviews developments to-date and begins to conside r whether there is greater scope for coastal processes to be more clos ely integrated into current SMP practice. It also suggests some modifi cations to the existing institutional arrangements, which would furthe r facilitate the now firmly established move towards strategic managem ent of the physical assets on the coast.