Global warming goes hand in hand with a rise in sea levels. Measures such as creating a higher and wider beach along the North Sea ought to protect our coast between now and 2060.
Keeping the hinterland dry as the effect of oceanic climate warming intensifies will form the focus of Kustvisie [Coastal Vision], the strategic policy plan that the Government of Flanders has developed for the short and especially the long to very long term. The plan itself consists of raising the height of the beach in phases and shifting it up to 100 metres in a seaward direction. This will make it possible to build higher and wider dikes and additional rows of dunes. Dunes are still the cheapest and most effective form of coastal protection. This will free up additional space for a variety of conservation measures, opportunities to experience nature, sports, recreation and commercial activities for the long to very long term.
In the short term, by 2030, an initial action plan will need to be drawn up that develops a dual vision: on the one hand, that promotes the development of the natural environment in the coastal area and, on the other hand, that safeguards the future of the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge and the marinas.
Of course, large-scale works such as this also come with a hefty price tag. But it is doubly worth the money when you consider that if nothing were to be done, a single millennial storm could result in as many as 1,000 fatalities and cause losses and damage in the region costing as much as 7 billion euros.
