Global warming is the increase in Earth's average temperature over a long period of time.

Climate change is a large-scale and long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.

Sea level is the average height reached by the sea or an ocean, mesaured between high tide and low tide.

Erosion is the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site.

Risk means the possibility that something bad or unpleasant  might happen to either the built or the natural environment.

Threats to the UK's coastline

Geography

The UK's coastline

Waves and tides

Processes shaping the coastline

Erosional coastal landforms

Depositional coastal landforms

GIS: Visualising and Analysing coastal erosion

Protecting the UK's coastline

Coastal management

Tuvalu: An island nation

The impacts of climate change on Tuvalu

The future of global coasts

This unit teaches pupils how physical and human processes shape our coastline. Pupils will also learn about the threats and challenges coastlines face in a warming world.

Coasts: what shapes life at the coast?

Depiction or discussion of famine, disease, natural disasters.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Global {{}} is the increase in Earth's average temperature over a long period of time.

{{}} change is the large-scale, long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperature. 

water from ice melt enters rivers and seas,

What is happening to sea levels around the world?

The east coast of England experiences some of the highest rates of {{}} in the UK. As sea levels are rising, they are contributing to the increase.

The process of building new land along the coast

The process of Earth’s surface being worn and transported away

The {{}} is the boundary between the land and the sea or ocean.

The long-term average of weather patterns in a specific region

The day-to-day atmospheric conditions, e.g. it's raining today

A long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns

The gradual increase in Earth’s average temperature 

Match the key terms, they all mean something different and all have an effect at the UK's coastline.

The movement of materials by wind and water

The height of the highest mountain on Earth

The average level of the ocean's surface, used to measure the height of land

Building sea walls to stop waves from wearing away the coast

What could be done to protect the coastline from erosion?

Starter Quiz

What is erosion?