Coastal Vulnerability in the UAE

Rising sea levels, population growth along coastlines and increasing hazards associated with coastal storms have set coastal communities on a collision course with the risks posed by climate change.

AGEDI and CCRG are engaging UAE planners and stakeholders to co-develop a decision-support tool to highlight where natural habitats play an important role in protecting coastal people and assets.

×

COASTAL VULNERABILITY INDEX (CVI)

• Differentiates relative exposure to erosion and inundation during storm events.
• Accounts for biodiversity's individual or combined role in buffering wave energy.

×

×

VARIABLE RANKS

• Six biophysical variables were ranked from 1-5.
• Shoreline segments ranked '4' or '5' drive highest coastal exposure and CVI scores.

COASTAL VULNERABILITY INDEX   Scale

Zoom map to selected scale:

Sea level rise

SHOW ME...
current habitats



DRIVERS OF COASTAL EXPOSURE Variable Ranks  







  

Note: Dark areas (grey-black) suggest priority sites where habitat rehabilitation or other nature-based strategies may be appropriate.


AOI SUMMARY [■]
COASTAL ASSETS Socioeconomic




Ecological




  
REPORTS • Glossary of terms
• Key messages and recommendations
• Technical report
• CVI subproject website

SPATIAL DATA Inputs
• Land mass: OSM
• Elevation:  GEBCO; ASTER GDEM v2
• Geomorphology:  Landsat 8; Google Earth imagery
• Natural habitats:  LNR Biodiversity Assess; UNEP; Grizzle et al.
• Wave exposure:  NCAR; ERA-Interim from ECMWF
• Storm surge:  DIVA v1.0
• Sea level rise:  IPCC; Ayhan and Alothman
• Ecological assets:  BirdLife International; EAD; EWS-WWF
• Population:  WorldPop
• Conservation:  Ministry of CC & the Environment (MOCCAE); WDPA
• Administrative:  GADM v2.8
• Infrastructure:  AGEDI; OSM; World Port Source