Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) Assessment: Evaluating Risks Associated with Human-Made Activities along the Limassol Coastline, Cyprus

Abstract

Coastal risk assessment is crucial for coastal management and decision making, especially in areas already experiencing the negative impacts of climate change. This study aims to investigate the coastal vulnerability due to climate change and human activities in an area west of the Limassol district’s coastline, in Cyprus, on which there have been limited studies. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted utilising the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) by exploiting eight key parameters: land cover, coastal slope, shoreline erosion rates, tidal range, significant wave height, coastal elevation, sea-level rise, and coastal geomorphology. These parameters were assessed utilising remote sensing (RS) data and Geographical Information Systems (GISs) along a 36.1 km stretch of coastline. The results exhibited varying risk levels of coastal vulnerability, mainly highlighting a coastal area where the Kouris River estuary is highly vulnerable. The study underscores the need for targeted coastal management strategies to address the risks associated with coastal erosion. Additionally, the CVI developed in this study can be exploited as a tool for decision makers, empowering them to prioritise areas for intervention and bolster the resilience of coastal areas in the face of environmental changes.

Keywords

• coastal vulnerability index (CVI)
• multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)
• geographic information systems (GISs)
• remote sensing
• coastal erosion
• coastal management