Scientists say that half of the world’s sandy beaches could disappear by the end of the century if climate change continues unchecked. Satellite images were used to track the way beaches have changed over the past 30 years and simulated how global warming might affect them in the future.

Researchers at the European Union’s Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy, suggest that by the end of the century, around half of the beaches in the world will experience erosion that is more than 100 metres and it’s likely that they will be lost.

The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that the extent to which beaches are at risk depends on how much average global temperatures increase by the year 2100.

Greater temperature increases mean more sea level rise and more violent storms in some regions, causing more beaches to vanish beneath the waves.

The authors write that the projected shoreline changes will substantially impact the shape of the world’s coastline.

Beaches are valuable for recreation, tourism and wildlife, while also providing a natural barrier that protects coastal communities from waves and storms.

Australia would be hardest-hit in terms of total beach coastline lost, with over 12,000 kilometres at risk.

The study says the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Iran, Argentina and Chile would also lose thousands of kilometres of beach.