Pride and prejudice of the anthropocene coasts

Abstract

This short communication highlights the emergence of complex design coastal reclamation for high-end property development, which we term ‘prestige reclamation’. The prestige reclamation planiforms are typically symbols, showcasing national pride, or highly crenulate designs to maximise the perimeter: area ratios, ensuring the greatest waterfront potential on the newly constructed artificial shores. Numerous questions arise as these new coasts are built: 1) what is the ecological impact of such developments, and does it differ from existing industrial and agricultural reclamations; 2) how might the complex designs affect the water quality within and around the reclamations; and finally 3) for these developments geared towards high end real-estate, recreation and tourism, how have the developments affected people living in and near these new coasts? We recognise that we stand at a crucial point in time to study these prestige reclamations, with rising sea levels, a global biodiversity crisis and a tempestuous financial climate. Therefore, this topic demands further attention and global collaboration to collectively study impact and provide alternatives to the growing demand of coastal land.