Vulnerability of coastal zones in the twenty-first century

Coastal zones are vulnerable to natural fluctuations, making these areas sensitive to climate change. There are two major reasons for their vulnerability: the land elevations are low, so natural disasters are easily caused by any rise in sea level, storm waves, storm surge and tsunamis; and many coastal zones have high population density or high levels of economic activity, so the disasters which break through protection systems cause huge damage. Based on these factors, the Working Group II report of the IPCC AR4 (IPCC, 2007b) addressed six concerns regarding coastal zones and climate change.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change