JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH, ss.248-251, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Climate change and anticipated impacts of sea level rise such as increased coastal erosion, inundation, flooding due to storm surges and salt water intrusion to freshwater resources will affect all countries but mostly small island countries of oceans and low-lying lands along coastlines. Turkey having 8333 km of coastline including physically, ecologically and socio-economically important low-lying deltas should also prepare for the impacts of sea level rise as well as other impacts of climate change while participating in mitigation efforts. Thus, a coastal vulnerability assessment of Turkey to sea level rise is needed both as a part of coastal zone management policies for sustainable development and as a guideline for resource allocation for preparation of adaptation options for upcoming problems due to sea level rise. As a scientific approach to coastal vulnerability assessment a coastal vulnerability matrix and a corresponding coastal vulnerability index of a region to sea level rise are developed. In the development of the matrix and the index, indicators of impacts of sea level rise which use commonly available data are used. The developed coastal vulnerability assessment model is used to determine the vulnerability of three different coastal areas or Turkey; Goksu Delta (Specially Protected Area), Gocek (Specially Protected Area) and Amasra to present the sensitivity of the model to regional properties.