Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences Seminar Series: Will beaches survive the future?

The department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences (EEGS) invites you to a talk from Dr. Bernard O. Bauer called, Will beaches survive the future? Predicted impacts of sea-level rise on sandy beach-dune systems.

Recently, there have been several published articles predicting the progressive inundation and erosion of the world’s sandy beaches due to sea-level rise. This makes for “good press” via sensationalistic messaging, but does the scientific evidence actually support the impending demise of your favourite ocean beach? Maybe, but maybe not—science is rarely as definitive as the public might like.

In this presentation, we will examine how the projected rates of sea-level rise over the next century will impact beach-dune systems from two different perspectives:

1. models of beach profile equilibrium; and
2. field evidence of process dynamics on beach-dune systems.

Although some beaches will certainly disappear, it will be argued that most beach-dune systems will translate landward largely intact, keeping pace with the projected rates of sea-level rise. The challenge for humans is to provide the essential accommodation space to allow for such landform migration. Fixed infrastructure along coasts will be problematic.

Dr. Bauer is an EEGS professor whose research focuses on process geomorphology, hydrology and environmental science.

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Note: Those interested in attending must contact Lindsay Howe at lindsay.howe@ubc.ca in advance for the Zoom password.