An Index-Based Method to Assess the Resilience of Urban Areas to Coastal Flooding: The Case of Attica, Greece

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the resilience of coastal urban areas and their exposure to sea-level rise and coastal flooding, using the proposed Coastal Resilience Index (CResI). The CResI is an innovative combination of diverse characteristics. It includes 19 parameters and is implemented using GIS techniques. The parameters included in the CResI are classified into six category factors (geomorphology, flooding, wave exposition, land use, socioeconomic, and infrastructure/functional). The Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to assign weights and rank the parameters. The framework is tested in the southwest waterfront of the Athens Metropolitan Area in Greece. The study identified that around 25% of the coastal area could be at risk of coastal flooding in the upcoming years, including areas in both the metropolitan and suburban environments. As a result, the need for adaptation measures cannot be overlooked.

Keywords

• Coastal Resilience Index
• sea-level rise
• coastal resilience assessment
• coastal flooding
• coastal infrastructure resilience