Coastal vulnerability assessment of sea-level rise associated with typhoon-induced surges in South Korea

Abstract

In this study, our objective was to assess coastal vulnerability to inundation due to global mean sea level rise in response to climate change to help prepare for future scenarios and typhoon-induced surges. To accomplish this, the coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was defined as a function of indicators representing elements of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Using these indicators, we analyzed the effects of sea level rise on coastal regions and their socio-economic levels. The relationship between exposure and adaptive capacity, as obtained from statistical data, was defined as the status assessment (SA). The effect of global mean sea level rise was obtained by adopting scenarios provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for 2030, 2050, and 2080. SA and CVI were calculated in 55 coastal regions consisting of metropolitan areas, cities, and rural areas. This study showed that the effects of climate change-driven sea level rise would increase CVI as the most dominant element. In rural areas, lower adaptive capacity scores would also lead to higher CVIs. Comparing future CVIs to the present, the most noticeable increases were predicted for rural areas. These estimations of CVI in response to climate change, alongside comparisons made with respect to time, region, and indicators, may help researchers in designing effective countermeasures for coastal management.