Coastal Vulnerability Index Research Articles

The Importance of Geotechnical Evaluation and Shoreline Evolution in Coastal Vulnerability Index Calculations

The aim of this specific study is to present a new weighted Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVIWF), with an emphasis given to the geotechnical evaluation and shoreline evolution rate measured through high-resolution remote sensing, which seem to be the most interfering variables in CVI calculations. As a pilot area for the application of the new CVIWF, the Gulf of Patras in Western Greece was selected, which is suffering erosion problems due to climate change, the sea level rising and human intervention. The new CVIWF, which was applied in this research, includes the following innovations: (1) the use of geotechnical characterization instead of geological–geomorphological characterization, (2) the use of high-resolution remote sensing data for the detection of shoreline evolution rate and (3) the insertion of a specific weighted geotechnical factor in the CVIWF formula. The results from the application of the unweighted CVI show that percentages of 20.13%, 20.47%, 24.56%, 29.39% and 5.45% of the gulf’s shoreline are under the regime of very low, low, moderate, high and very high vulnerability, respectively. On the other hand, the corresponding results from the application of the weighted CVIWF show a percentage of 14.59%, 25.91%, 20.04, 36.48% and 2.98, respectively.

Adaptation of a freshwater evaluation framework to a coastal system: The case of Kamari, Santorini

The erosion of sandy beaches creates a significant impact on the local society, the economy and the environment. The present study is an attempt to adapt the innovative DESSIN (Demonstrate Ecosystem Services Enabling Innovation in the Water Sector) framework that specializes in freshwater applications, to urban coastal systems. The framework is applied in the case of Kamari beach, Santorini (Greece), to assess the sustainability of all possible anti-erosion measures. To identify the most vulnerable parts of the coastline, the study used two sensitivity indices: the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI), and the Socioeconomic Index (SocCVI). A supply-demand model was applied for the integration of all three aspects that characterize the system: social, economic, and environmental. To project the impact of erosion in the future, the system's state was analyzed in three steps a) the present, b) after the installation of the coastal protection measures and c) a scenario where no protection actions were taken (RCP4.5 scenario). In the current situation the most susceptible part of the coastline due to anthropogenic and environmental pressures is the central one, which does not immediately affect the socio-economic activities of the urban area. In contrast, future changes brought about by climate change will endanger the system's equilibrium and anti-erosion actions are necessary. With the application of the adapted DESSIN framework, the combined installation of submerged breakwaters with sediment replacement is the most sustainable action, promoting socio-economic growth and the protection of essential ecosystem services.

An assessment of coastal vulnerability using geospatial techniques

The Sundarbans, a UNESCO world heritage site, is of immense importance for its ecological and economic utilities. This paper attempts to identify, assess and classify the degree of vulnerability along the 269 km coastal stretches of Indian Sundarbans using GIS-based composite index. This study implies five physical and one social variable (geomorphology, regional elevation, absolute sea level rise, erosion-accretion, tidal range and population density) for calculating Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI). The results indicate that nearly half of the coastlines (114 km) are under moderate to very high vulnerability regime. Inhabited mouzas like Beguakhali and Sibpur are found to be highly vulnerable on account of its high population densities, reclaimed coastline, moderate elevation, moderate erosion and medium tidal range. Lower elevation and higher rate of sea level rise were responsible for high vulnerability in uninhabited islands like Bhangadauni, Gosaba-E, Island-2 and Harin-W. Among the geomorphic categories, supra-tidal areas mostly belong to the high vulnerability category. This study provides valuable information to the decision makers and planners for understanding the problems and formulating suitable management strategies for this area. It also clarifies the major forcing factors and concludes that prioritization should be done based on relative importance, even if complete management is not feasible.

TINGKAT KERENTANAN PESISIR DI UTARA DAN TIMUR PULAU BINTAN PROVINSI KEPULAUAN RIAU TAHUN 2020

Wilayah pesisir sangat unik, dinamis, dan kompleks karena merupakan zona interaksi antara daratan, lautan, dan atmosfer. Hal ini menjadikan wilayah pesisir sebagai wilayah yang paling rentan di Bumi. Untuk mengetahui seberapa besar kerentanan di suatu wilayah pesisir, perlu dilakukan penelitian untuk mengetahui tingkat kerentanan wilayah pesisir dan faktor yang mempengaruhi. Penelitian mengenai tingkat kerentanan pesisir di lokasi ini pernah dilakukan pada tahun 2016 dan diperoleh simpulan bahwa tingkat kerentanan pesisir berada pada kategori sedang. Dengan semakin berkembangnya pemanfaatan potensi di daerah tersebut maka dirasa perlu dilakukan penelitian serupa dengan tahun 2016 untuk mengetahui apakah terdapat perubahan tingkat kerentanan antara tahun 2016 dengan tahun 2020. Data-data yang digunakan terdiri dari Data-data yang digunakan terdiri dari geomorfologi pantai, pasang surut, citra satelit Landsat 7 ETM+ dan 8 OLI, kenaikan muka laut dan DEM. Analisis data menggunakan metode Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tingkat kerentanan pesisir di lokasi penelitian berada pada kategori rendah-sedang, dengan kisaran skor CVI 9,93-25,86. Topografi, geomorfologi, intensitas perubahan garis pantai, dan kemiringan pantai merupakan faktor yang dapat menyebabkan tingkat kerentanan di lokasi penelitian menjadi sangat tinggi. Namun, keterhubungan antara parameter lain yang dapat menjadi faktor penghambat tingginya tingkat kerentanan, menyebabkan tingkat kerentanan pesisir di lokasi penelitian hanya berada dalam kategori rendah-sedang. Terdapat perubahan kondisi tingkat kerentanan antara tahun 2016 dengan tahun 2020 dimana pada tahun 2020 tingkat kerentanan di pantai timur mengalami penurunan menjadi kategori rendah.

COASTAL VULNERABILITY MAPPING OF KALIANDA COAST, SOUTH LAMPUNG, USING COASTAL VULNERABILITY INDEX (CVI) METHOD

The coastal region is a strategic area that has enormous potential. Kalianda is one of the coastal areas in South Lampung which has great potential with the main activities are fisheries and marine tourism, but it is also vulnerable to physical effects. The purpose of this study was to assess the vulnerability of physical parameters and to analyze the level of Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) in Kalianda, South Lampung. The results showed that the vulnerability level of the Kalianda Coast based on the rate of shoreline change and geomorphological parameters were at a very high level of vulnerability. Whereas based on the parameters of the mean significant wave height, the average tidal tides and beach slope, the Kalianda Coast was at a low level of vulnerability. Overall, the results of the analysis indicated that CVI value ranged from 3.10 to 9.94, which categorized as low and medium vulnerability levels. Distribution of Kalianda coastal vulnerability level along 3.30 km (11.29%) was at low vulnerability level and along 25.98 km (88.71%) was categorized as medium vulnerability level.

Improving outcomes for socioeconomic variables with coastal vulnerability index under significant sea-level rise: an approach from Mumbai coasts

Climate change has led to increased sea levels, which are caused by a complex interplay of the physical environment components from coastal areas, causing the rise in storm surge, erosion and flooding. In this scenario, the low-lying topography of the Mumbai region is highly susceptible to sea level-induced flooding and coastal erosion due to the increasing number of economic activities. The unsustainable urbanization, unplanned development, and huge land conversion lead to the destruction of this region lead to the destruction of mangroves and filled waterways with construction debris which makes the region more vulnerable to flooding due to inadequate drainage, overflow and absence of natural protectors. These human-induced factors and their impacts remain unknown. Therefore, the study uses four socioeconomic variables (CVI4) with five geological (CVI5) and three geological variables (CVI8; with integrating CVI5) to assess the role of developmental and socio-economic activities in overall coastal vulnerability (CVI12) analysis. To quantify the importance of the combined variables and understand the response, random forest (RF) model was also used. This study selected four different iterations with integrating the pixel-based differentially weighted rank values of all variables to determine the significant causes behind that have an impact on coastal vulnerability index (CVI). The results show that CVI5 and CVI8 contributed 7.8% and 36.9%, respectively, whereas CVI4 contributed 55.3% to the CVI12. The response curve shows that the influence of these variables is an increasing trend to CVI12 and the results of CVI12 are highly correlated with socioeconomic index variables (r = 0.84, p = 0.001) which indicates the socio-economic variables played a major role towards the coastal vulnerability of the region. It suggests that unsustainable urbanization, unplanned development and coastal erosion increasing pressure make Mumbai and Kurla region more vulnerable to flood. Accordingly, CVI12 results show 55.83 km of the shoreline surveyed, being very low vulnerable, a moderate vulnerability of 60.91 km, while a high vulnerability of 50.75 km is considered to be very high. The results may be used as a guide in formulating policies to mitigate and adjust the Mumbai coast as the rise in sea level is expected to cause more frequent coastal floods, etc.

Alarming coastal vulnerability of the deltaic and sandy beaches of North Africa

The arid coasts of North Africa, extending over 4633 km from the Gulf of Tunis to the Nile Delta, are undergoing pronounced shoreline retreats and coastal floodings that are reported as a consequence of the ongoing sea level rise resulting from global warming. Of particular interest are the abnormal shoreline dynamics for deltaic and sandy beaches, which are severely impacted by abrupt decadal variabilities in both climatic and anthropogenic drivers resulting in their increased vulnerability to disturbances from coastal hazards. Unfortunately, the evolution, distribution and impacts of these drivers remain largely unquantified, let alone understood, for these extensive arid coasts that harbor the major portion of North Africa’s population as well as unique and fragile marine ecosystems. To address this deficiency, we use GIS-based multi-criteria approaches combined with analytic hierarchy process to map the Coastal Vulnerability Index and the Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index along these coasts to investigate the amplitude and extent of shoreline deterioration resulting from sudden fluctuations in sediment transport to the coastline. We use the western bay of the Gulf of Tunis, the coasts of Tripoli and the Nile Delta as three validation sites for our vulnerability assessment. The statistical Integrated Coastal Vulnerability Index map reveals that 47% of arid North African coasts are characterized by high to very high vulnerability. In particular, we observe that the densely populated deltaic coasts in both Tunisia and Egypt are 70% more vulnerable than any others coast in the eastern Mediterranean Basin. These abnormally high-vulnerability extensive areas are also correlated with significant deterioration of coastal aquifers and hence in crop production, compromising local food security and resulting in increasing outflow migration trends. Both Tunisia and Egypt observed dramatic increases in the net population outflow migration by respectively 62% and 248% between 2000 and 2016, mostly from coastal areas. Our source analysis of the amplitude and extent of these high coastal vulnerabilities suggests that they result from the anthropogenic drivers of damming and rapid urban growth over the last few decades rather than the effects of global warming.

New Approach to Assess Multi-Scale Coastal Landscape Vulnerability to Erosion in Tropical Storms in Vietnam

The increase of coastal erosion due to intense tropical storms and unsustainable urban development in Vietnam demands vulnerability assessments at different research scales. This study proposes (1) a new approach to classify coastlines and (2) suitable criteria to evaluate coastal vulnerability index (CVI) at national and regional/local scales. At the national scale, the Vietnamese coastline was separated into 72 cells from 8 coast types based on natural features, whereas the Center region of Vietnam was separated into 495 cells from 41 coast types based on both natural and socio-economic features. The assessments were carried out by using 17 criteria related to local land use/cover, socio-economic, and natural datasets. Some simplified variables for CVI calculation at the national scale were replaced by quantitative variables at regional/local scales, particularly geomorphology and socio-economic variables. As a result, more than 20% of Vietnam’s coastline has high CVI values, significantly more than 350 km of the coasts in the center part. The coastal landscapes with residential and tourism lands close to the beaches without protection forests have been strongly affected by storms’ erosion. The new approach is cost-effective in data use and processing and is ideal for identifying and evaluating the CVI index at different scales.

Development of a Multi-Dimensional Coastal Vulnerability Index: Assessing vulnerability to inundation scenarios in the Italian coast

Understanding how natural and human-induced drivers will contribute to rising vulnerability and risks in coastal areas requires a broader use of future projections capturing the spatio-temporal dynamics which drive changes in the different vulnerability dimensions, including the socio-demographic and economic spheres.To go beyond the traditional approaches for coastal vulnerability appraisal, a Multi-dimensional Coastal Vulnerability Index (MDim-CVI) - integrating a composite set of physical, environmental and socio-economic indicators - is proposed to rank Italian coastal provinces according to their relative vulnerability to extreme sea level scenarios, in 2050. Specifically, information on hazard-prone areas, potentially inundated by sea level rise and extreme water levels (under the RCP8.5 climate scenario) is combined with indicators of geomorphic vulnerability (e.g. elevation, distance from coastline, shoreline evolution trend) exposure, and adaptive capacity (e.g. sensible segments of the population, GDP, land use patterns). The methodology is applied to a reference timeframe, representing current climate and land use condition, and a future scenario for the year 2050, integrating both climate projections and data simulating potential evolution of the environmental and socio-economic systems.Results show that most vulnerable provinces are located in the North Adriatic, the Gargano area and other Southern parts of Italy, mostly due to the very high vulnerability scores reported by climate-related indicators (e.g. extreme sea level). The number of vulnerable provinces as well as the magnitude of vulnerability is expected to increase in the future due to the worsening of climate, environmental, and socio-economic conditions (e.g. land use variations and increase of the elderly population). These outcomes can timely inform integrated coastal zone management and support climate adaptation planning.

Coastal Sensitivity/Vulnerability Characterization and Adaptation Strategies: A Review

Coastal area constitutes a vulnerable environment and requires special attention to preserve ecosystems and human activities therein. To this aim, many studies have been devoted both in past and recent years to analyzing the main factors affecting coastal vulnerability and susceptibility. Among the most used approaches, the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) accounts for all relevant variables that characterize the coastal environment dealing with: (i) forcing actions (waves, tidal range, sea-level rise, etc.), (ii) morphological characteristics (geomorphology, foreshore slope, dune features, etc.), (iii) socio-economic, ecological and cultural aspects (tourism activities, natural habitats, etc.). Each variable is evaluated at each portion of the investigated coast, and associated with a vulnerability level which usually ranges from 1 (very low vulnerability), to 5 (very high vulnerability). Following a susceptibility/vulnerability analysis of a coastal stretch, specific strategies must be chosen and implemented to favor coastal resilience and adaptation, spanning from hard solutions (e.g., groins, breakwaters, etc.) to soft solutions (e.g., beach and dune nourishment projects), to the relocation option and the establishment of accommodation strategies (e.g., emergency preparedness).

Evaluation of the Impacts of Sea Level Rise Hazards in Douala-Cameroon

Global warming and its associated impacts of Sea Level Rise hazards of flooding by storm surge, inundation, salt water intrusion to ground water, salt water incursion to rivers/estuaries affects low lying coastal Countries and small islands. Douala, with ecological and socio-economic vital values for the country is exposed to and should be prepared for the impacts of Sea Level Rise hazards while partaking in mitigation schemes. Consequently, vulnerability of fresh water resources of Sea Level Rise (SLR) hazards was assessed and projected areas at risk mapped. These were estimated using the coastal vulnerability index matrix. Projected areas at risk were obtained using the geographical information system geo-processing query. The calculated coastal vulnerability index (CVI)-SLR was 3.6 for the Douala low lying region indicating that it is high. Inundation (4) followed by SWI into ground water aquifers (3.86) was the dominant Sea Level Rise hazard impacts for the study area. Bareground (132.21 and 446.82 km2) and settlement (152. And 476.5 km2) classes of land cover will be more affected by 5 and 10 m projected flood levels. This study therefore suggests that major investments should be made to improve the data base of climate change variables of the coastlines of Douala and the entire nation since information from these databases will form the basis for the development of adaptation strategies to any future SLR hazards.

Evaluación del índice de vulnerabilidad costera en la Manga del Mar Menor (Murcia, España)

Uno de los efectos más visibles del Cambio Climático es la subida del nivel del mar por el derretimiento de las masas de hielo terrestre. Para calcular la vulnerabilidad costera de la Manga del Mar Menor por la subida del nivel del mar, se ha aplicado el Índice de Vulnerabilidad Costera utilizando las variables geomorfología, pendiente de la costa, cambios en el nivel del mar, erosión costera, rango mareal, oleaje y una variable ambiental. El resultado refleja que tramos de playas de arena y las estructuras artificiales presentan mayor vulnerabilidad a los riesgos climáticos que aquellos tramos rocosos, por lo que se considera necesario la adecuación de sistemas duna-playa con vegetación natural bien conservada que constituyan una barrera frente a la energía de los temporales.

Assessing coastal vulnerability of Chittagong District, Bangladesh using geospatial techniques

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries exposed to natural disasters. This paper attempts to analyze the vulnerability of coastal areas of the Chittagong District in the southeastern coast of Bangladesh. This study explores the spatial variations of coastal vulnerability of the study area using three physical variables and four social variables with a spatial analytical method. In this regard, a Physical Vulnerability Index (PVI), and a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) have been prepared for the research area. Finally, a Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) was constructed within a geographic information system combining both PVI and CVI. The vulnerability indices reveal that the rural areas are more vulnerable to disaster than the urban areas. According to the PVI, SVI, and CVI about 66%, 48%, and 43% areas are highly vulnerable respectively. Despite of data limitations in constructing the PVI and SVI, this research is the first endeavor to apply a composite CVI based on geospatial techniques in the southeastern coast of Bangladesh. The CVI results illustrate that the coasts are the most vulnerable to flooding, storm surges and cyclones. In this study, CVI is presented as a tool to identify areas of vulnerability in the zones of the coastal district Chittagong. The CVI will serve as a practical guideline for policy makers to introduce policies and plans to mitigate the natural hazard-induced disaster impacts on the coastal Bangladesh.

Earth Observation Technique-Based Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of Northern Odisha, East Coast of India

The coastal zones of northern Odisha coast, western Bay of Bengal, are highly exposed to natural forcing. These regions are vulnerable due to natural hazards such as cyclones, tsunamis, floods, shoreline/beach erosion and sea-level rise. Further, the increased intensity and density of the extreme events in the recent decades have contributed more to the coastal vulnerability, thereby causing floods and inundation. Therefore, there is a need of sustainable use of the coastal zone with proper management practices. In this context, coastal vulnerability index (CVI) has been proved as an effective method for assigning the vulnerability status to any coastal zone. The present research work aims to develop a CVI by integrating risk values of nine input variables and to segment them into low, moderate, high and very high vulnerability categories as per their degree of vulnerability. The study area exhibits a long 273.8 km coastal tract, and about 9.6% of the coastal tract is under very high vulnerability category, followed by 29.7% under high vulnerability, 46.3% under medium vulnerability and rest 14.3% under low vulnerability.

Sea Level Rise Projections for Failaka Island in The State of Kuwait

As a result of climate change, many lands are under risk due to the rising sea levels (RSL). Studies show that the mean sea level will likely rise by 0.16 to 0.63 metres before 2050, and 0.2 to 2.5 metres by 2100. Lower-lying islands are more endangered from RSL. One of such islands is Failaka, a small island in Kuwait lying at the entrance of Kuwait Bay, which is located on the north-western side of the Arabian Gulf (Also called the Persian Gulf). Most of Failaka Island is lower than three meters. The Governmental plans are to develop and populate the island. SLR should be considered in such planning. This study focuses particularly on detecting the areas of Failaka Island which are under high threat from the SLR. To detect these areas, spatial analysis of the Digital elevation model (DEM) are used. DEM is estimated for three SLR scenarios (1, 2 and 3 metres). It is expected that 31% of the island will be under sea level height for the SLR of 1 m; 54% for the SLR of 2 metres; and 87% for the SLR of 3 m. Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) is estimated as well. The CVI shows that the eastern coast is the most susceptible with regard to the SLR. The model was validated through using ground elevation points (n = 40), and a positive correlation was found with of 0.8019. Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote sensing (RS) are confirmed to be effective tools for estimating spatial influence of the SLR.

Coastal Vulnerability Mapping by Integrating Geospatial Techniques and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) along the Vishakhapatnam Coastal Tract, Andhra Pradesh, India

The coastal area supports millions of population in terms of livelihood, settlement and social activities across the world and India. The increasing rate of socioeconomic activities made the coasts susceptible to various hazards. Therefore, this study is aimed to examine the coastal vulnerability of Vishakhapatnam Coastal district using remote sensing and geographic information system. To fulfill this objective, six physical indicators, i.e., geomorphology, land use/land cover, coastal slope, shoreline change rate, etc., were prepared using the multi-temporal datasets of 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2018 and mean tidal height has been considered to calculate the coastal vulnerability index (CVI). The indicators selected for the analysis of coastal vulnerability have been integrated using the rank and weighted methods. The shoreline change has been detected using the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS). Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been used for calculating weights of various indices. The CVI values obtained using different indicators are 2.6 (min) and 14.39 (max). Based on the CVI values, the coast is classified as five classes of vulnerability, i.e., very low (0—4.9) covering 42.5 km, low (4.9—7.3) which covers 29.49 km, moderate (7.3—9.6) covering 23.46 km, high (9.6—12.0) which covers 34.61 km, and very high (12.0–14.39) covering 7.5 km. This integrated study is found useful for exploring the accretion and erosion processes and also for vulnerability mapping in the coastal tract of Vishakhapatnam district.

Assessment of the coastal vulnerability to sea level rise: Sultanate of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman overlooks three water bodies: The Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Gulf with a coastal face of more than 3000 km. Due to the recent global climate change, storm intensity has increased and inundation of coastal areas is inevitable. The pattern of coastal flooding depends on the geomorphologic and oceanographic characteristics of the coastal zone. The current research aims to delineate the susceptibility of Omani coast to the sudden sea level rise from cyclones and tsunamis using the coastal vulnerability index (CVI). Five physical parameters were implemented to perform the CVI, namely: The coastal geomorphology, elevation, slope, tidal range and bathymetry of the nearshore zone. Data were extracted from remotely sensed images and government resources assisted by field surveying. Geospatial analysis using geographical information system (GIS) was performed to manipulate and process the CVI from the collected data. Results showed that high vulnerable coastal regions to sea level rise account for 805 km of the coast, mostly along Al-Batinah plain in the north and along some scattered sectors at the eastern coast of the country. Major settlements and infrastructures are located at high CVI category. Moderate vulnerable coasts total 695 km mostly at the headlands along the Arabian Sea, whereas the low vulnerability coasts include the remaining shores along Musandam Peninsula and the eastern coast. This study provides a national map of the coastal vulnerability to the sea level rise, which is important for urban planning and decision supports for a sustainable management of Omani coastal zone.

Egypt's Coastal Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise and Storm Surge: Present and Future Conditions.

We assess the relative vulnerability of the Mediterranean shoreline of Egypt (about 1000 km in length) to climate change (i.e., sea-level rise [SLR], storm surge flooding, and coastal erosion) by using a Climate-improved Coastal Vulnerability Index (CCVI). We integrate information relative to a multidimensional set of physical, geological, and socioeconomic variables, and add to the mainstream literature the consideration of both a reference and a climate change scenario, assuming the representative concentration pathway 8.5 W/m2 (RCP8.5) for the 21st century in the Mediterranean region. Results report that approximately 1% (~43 km²) of the mapped shoreline is classifiable as having a high or very high vulnerability, whereas approximately 80% (4652 km²) shows very low vulnerability. As expected, exposure to inundation and erosion is especially relevant in highly developed and urbanized coastal areas. Along the shoreline, while the Nile Delta region is the most prone area to coastal erosion and permanent or occasional inundations (both in the reference and in the climate scenario), results show the Western Desert area to be less vulnerable due to its geological characteristics (i.e., rocky and cliffed coasts, steeper coastal slope). The application of the CCVI to the coast of Egypt can be considered as a first screening of the hot-spot risk areas at the national scale. The results of the analysis, including vulnerability maps and indicators, can be used to support the development of climate adaptation and integrated coastal zone management strategies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:761-772. © 2020 SETAC.

Assessing the Vulnerability of Agriculture Systems to Climate Change in Coastal Areas: A Novel Index

This study proposes a novel index to evaluate agricultural vulnerability to climate change in coastal areas, using the case of Andhra Pradesh, the state with the second longest coastline in India. Field data was collected from more than 1000 farmers (involved in over 50 varieties of crops) in 22 riverine and coastal case study areas. Data was collected through site visits, surveys and five workshops conducted between November 2018 and June 2019. Based on the collected data sets, a new Agricultural Coastal Vulnerability Index (AGCVI) was developed and applied to the 22 sites located in two districts (Krishna and Guntur) of Coastal Andhra Pradesh. The analysis revealed that the areas with three crop seasons (Kharif, Rabi and Zaid) per year are highly vulnerable to climate change. On the other hand, sites with one crop season (Kharif) per annum are the least vulnerable to climate change. Moreover, grains (particularly rice), flowers and fruit crops are more susceptible to climate change and its induced impacts. Rice is no longer a profitable crop in the case study areas partly as a result of unfavourable weather conditions, inadequate insurance provision and lack of government support for farmers. Cumulatively, all these circumstances impact farmers’ incomes and socio-cultural practices: this is leading to a marriage crisis, with a reduction in the desirability of matrimony to farmers. These findings provide valuable information that can support climate and agriculture policies, as well as sustainable cropping patterns among farmers’ communities in coastal areas of India in the future.

Evaluation of coastal vulnerability and exposure to erosion and submersion risks in Bou Ismail Bay (Algeria) using the coastal risk index (CRI)

The Algerian coastal zone is under high pressure occurring from natural origin (seismic and tsunamis risks, erosion/accretion, salt water intrusion, etc.) and from human sources (pollution, loss of biodiversity, economic value, etc.). The lack of data, particularly time series over natural coastal process, is an impediment for decision making. In many cases, the implemented coastal protection measures even exacerbate the vulnerability of these zones, particularly the hard engineering solutions. The aim of this work is to produce coastal vulnerability and exposure index maps to erosion and marine submersion, by adapting the coastal vulnerability index (CVI) into coastal risk index (CRI) according to the new vision of the risk adopted by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This index turned out to be a relevant tool to adjust coastal planning and management decision making, by confirming the vulnerability of some physiographic units and give at local and regional levels a broad image of coastal zone sensitivity to erosion and submersion. This index should be integrated in Integrated Coastal Zones Management policy and management decision making. The mapping of coastal vulnerability and exposure in Bou Ismail Bay shows that it is 80% moderately vulnerable to erosion and submersion. Also, 45% of the bay is highly exposed to coastal hazards. Some sectors are more vulnerable and exposed than others especially in the East side of the bay. The mapping of coastal risk index using coastal hazard component, combined with vulnerability and exposure maps, has led us to identify the degree of erosion and submersion risk in Bou Ismail Bay. The risk mapping shows that 40% of the bay is at high risk level; it means that some procedures should be made to decrease the level of sensitivity and improve resilience of this heavily populated area.