GIS based coastal vulnerability assessment and adaptation barriers to coastal regulations in Dakshina Kannada district, India

Coastal areas represent fragile and complex ecosystems. Changes in climate, increasing urbanization and industrialization are creating immense pressure on the coastal environment. Coastal erosion, sea level rise, changing morphology of the coastal areas and extreme weather events are some of the threats that coastal regions are experiencing globally. While various studies have assessed the vulnerability of coastal regions quantitatively and spatially, there is a need to supplement these findings with qualitative insights based on human experiences. Thus, the present study carried out a coastal vulnerability assessment along the coastline of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, India using Shannon’s Entropy by including eight parameters i.e., slope, elevation, geomorphology, bathymetry, sea level rise, mean tidal range, mean significant wave height and shoreline change. The study also explored the experiences and perceptions of stakeholders regarding adaptation barriers to climate change vulnerabilities for understanding the ground complexities. Coastal vulnerability index (CVI) revealed that nearly 39.7 km of the coastline is vulnerable including areas along Sasihtlu beach, Munda, New Mangalore Port Batapady beach, Uchilla, Kotekar, Ullal beach, Netravati River Area and Mukka beach. Rainfall induced coastal erosion, lack of coordination among the various stakeholders, policy makers and practitioners regarding a common framework for climate change adaptation strategies were identified adaptation barriers. The findings of CVI and adaptation barriers may be used by practitioners and policy makers for framing the adaptation measures for mitigating the implications of the coastal region.