Drawing lines in the sand: The evolution of Dutch coastal policy

The Dutch coast has long been at threat from sea level rise and coastal storms. With predicted increases in sea levels, and the enhanced severity and frequency of storms associated with climate change, this threat will persist and increase. We explore the evolution of policy by examining how the scale preferences of the actors influenced the conceptual basis of, and choices for, large scale sand nourishment from 1990 onwards. We develop an integrated scale hierarchy for sandy coasts (Figure 1) and examine the alignment of the concept underpinning the coastal policy of 1990 with the sand nourishment choices made over the next twenty years. We identify discrepancies between the spirit of the policy and its implementation in practice.