Coasts and People: Opportunities, Hazards and Sustainable Management - Part 1

Fishing and aquaculture. Commercial fleets contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to global food supply. Aquaculture (fish/shrimp farming) is the fastest-growing food sector.

Ports and trade. Natural harbours support ports — and over 80% of goods globally travel by sea. Major ports (Shanghai, Singapore, Rotterdam, Antwerp) anchor major cities.

Tourism and recreation. Beach holidays, cruises, surfing, diving. Mediterranean Spain, Caribbean, Maldives, Thailand — coastal tourism drives entire economies.

Energy. Offshore oil and gas; offshore wind farms (UK, Denmark, China); tidal and wave power; coastal nuclear plants (cooling water access).

Climate moderation. Coastal climates are typically milder than inland — cooler summers, warmer winters, more humid.

Ecosystem services. Coral reefs and mangroves provide protection, biodiversity, food. Salt marshes store carbon and reduce flooding.

Cambridge tip. Mark scheme rewards LISTING multiple opportunities with brief explanations.

Roughly half the world's population lives within 100 km of a coast. Several reinforcing factors:

Trade and economic opportunity. Ports drive shipping, services, finance, manufacturing. Coastal cities (NYC, Mumbai, Tokyo, São Paulo, Shanghai) dominate global economy.

Food security. Combined fishing + coastal agriculture (deltas, floodplains) supports dense populations.

Climate and amenity. Coastal climates are mild and pleasant; sea views increase property value; recreation accessible.

Historical pattern. Settlements grew where ships could land. Once established, network effects (more people → more jobs → more people) reinforced coastal concentration.

Cambridge tip. When asked WHY people concentrate on coasts, mention MULTIPLE reasons with reinforcing dynamics.

Mediterranean coast of Spain.

• ~85 million tourists annually (2nd most-visited country).
• Tourism contributes ~12% of GDP.
• Major ports: Barcelona, Valencia, Algeciras (top-5 European ports).
• Fishing fleet (~9,000 vessels); aquaculture for tuna, mussels.
• Renewable energy: offshore wind and solar.

Other classics.

• Sydney, Australia — port, beaches, tourism, finance.
• Mumbai, India — major port, financial centre.
• Maldives — tourism-dependent economy threatened by sea-level rise.

Cambridge tip. Required: SPECIFIC facts (tourist numbers, GDP percentage, port size). Generic 'lots of opportunities' answers don't score case-study marks.