Coastal Change Adaptation in Fife: Impacts on use of the Fife coastline for health and wellbeing

This report explores the potential impacts of climate change on the use of the Fife coastline for purposes of health and wellbeing. It utilises climate change impact projections as well as data on how the coastline is currently used to enhance health and wellbeing to determine how current uses may need to change and what protections or adaptations are needed. The work forms part of Fife Council’s Coastal Adaptation review, under the wider remit of their newly updated Climate Strategy.

Under climate change projections for the coming decades, we can expect to see increased average temperatures, drier summers, milder, wetter winters and more extreme weather events. We are already experiencing increasing sea levels around Scotland’s coastline. These changes are likely to result in a number of significant impacts for coastal regions, including flooding, storm damage and coastal erosion. Related impacts will include loss of material assets such as land, homes, businesses, as well as social structures, networks, cultural heritage and ecosystem services.

Among these losses we are likely to see a changing coastal profile. It is understood that access to outdoor spaces such as coastal areas can be beneficial for both physical and mental health and wellbeing, by providing opportunities for physical exercise, meditation & reflection, social interaction, volunteering, etc. A change in opportunities to access areas of the Fife coast could alter the physical and psychological benefits currently afforded by the environment.