Impacts of Future Sea-Level Rise under Global Warming Assessed from Tide Gauge Records: A Case Study of the East Coast Economic Region of Peninsular Malaysia

Sea-level projections using a NARX-NN model of tide gauge data for the coastal city of Kuala Terengganu in Malaysia

The impact of global warming presents an increased risk to the world's shorelines. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that the twenty-first century experienced a severe global mean sea-level rise due to human-induced climate change. Therefore, coastal planners require reasonably accurate estimates of the rate of sea-level rise and the potential impacts, including extreme sea-level changes, floods, and shoreline erosion. Also, land loss as a result of disturbance of shoreline is of interest as it damages properties and infrastructure. Using a nonlinear autoregressive network with an exogenous input (NARX) model, this study attempted to simulate (1991 to 2012) and predict (2013-2020) sea-level change along Merang kechil to Kuala Marang in Terengganu state shoreline areas. The simulation results show a rising trend with a maximum rate of 28.73 mm/year and an average of about 8.81 mm/year. In comparison, the prediction results show a rising sea level with a maximum rate of 79.26 mm/year and an average of about 25.34 mm/year. The database generated from this study can be used to inform shoreline defense strategies adapting to sea-level rise, flood, and erosion. Scientists can forecast sea-level increases beyond 2020 using simulated sea-level data up to 2020 and apply it for future research. The data also helps decision-makers choose measures for vulnerable shoreline settlements to adapt to sea-level rise. Notably, the data will provide essential information for policy development and implementation to facilitate operational decision-making processes for coastal cities.

Coastal Vulnerability: A Brief Review on Integrated Assessment in Southeast Asia

Coastal zones are an essential part of maintaining sustainability in the world. Coastal regions have gained importance due to various factors, including high ecological production, dense population, industry compatibility, waste disposal, leisure, transportation, and development of military strategies. Coasts are often on the move and must adapt while nature constantly works to maintain balance. Southeast Asia has gained prominence due to its rich ecosystem, high productivity, and densely populated coastal region. In light of this, the coastlines of Southeast Asia are threatened by various factors, including global climate change and human activities. These factors exacerbate the shoreline erosion, frequent catastrophic events, rising sea levels, and saltwater intrusion. Coastal management has become one of the most important challenges of the past decade. The coastal vulnerability index (CVI) was developed to identify and manage vulnerable locations along the coast. Thus, this review attempts to summarize coastal vulnerability in Southeast Asian based on journals and reports. Topics covered include: (1) introduction to coastal vulnerability, (2) methods for determining coastal vulnerability, (3) factors influencing coastal vulnerability (4) associated coastal vulnerability, (5) assessment gaps, and (6) further courses of action. Consequently, assessment of coastal vulnerability will support Southeast Asian coastal communities in guiding mitigation strategies to manage coastal threats in future climate change and urban development.