Page 284 - Çevre Şehir İklim İngilizce - Sayı 2

Evaluation Of Vulnerability On Turkish Coastal Provinces With Gis

1. Vulnerability and Coasts

Vulnerability is defined as a system’s level of sensitivity to the threats
and failure to deal with these threats (Sahin, 2014; Cutter, 1996: 529-539).
Vulnerability researchers develop complex model approaches through
developing vulnerability indicators and criteria (Adger, 2006: 268-21). Utilizing
indicators and criteria are ways to apply what is qualitative to the quantitative
areas (Yu-Xue-Yin, 2014, 89-104). Vulnerability indicators are quite useful tools
for developing an understanding of the underlying processes of vulnerability,
developing strategies towards decreasing vulnerability and to determine
the effectiveness of these strategies. (Rygel- O’sullivan- Yarnal, 2006: 741-
764). The common themes in vulnerability studies point to the importance of
investigating vulnerability from a socio-economic perspective, the need for
spatial research, and discuss it as an issue of human equality (Adger, 2006;
Bevacqua- Zhang, 2018: 19-29; Cutter, 2003: 242-261).
Current vulnerability studies are developed and applied to create more
detailed conclusions from the spatial distribution of vulnerability. This will lead
to increased economic efficiency and purposeful management strategies.
Modern literature on coastal vulnerability is comprehensive in nature and
focuses on social, physical and ecological parameters at the same time (Cutter,
2003: 242-261; Cooper, 1998).
In studies concerning coastal, GIS is used as a standard tool for vulnerability,
data processing, analysis and visualization. This is because GIS is highly
important for determining the spatial distribution of threats and sensitive
populations, producing more comprehensive data, and making more complex
analyses for identifying vulnerability levels (Cutter, 200: 713-77).
The climatic and anthropogenic risks faced by coastal cities include the
rise in sea levels, high intensity weather conditions, disrupted ecosystems and
decreased fish populations. Severe droughts seem to threaten agricultural
practices and increase migration to coastal areas, which endangers food
safety. It is clear that if the trends like migration to coastal regions and
continuous coastal development are not taken under control through
sustainable management, the vulnerability of coastal cities will increase even
more. Furthermore, demographic and socio-economic factors such as poverty
and disorganized settlements will render certain populations and places
defenseless against climate conditions like the rise of sea levels and floods.
Therefore, decision makers need to identify the level of vulnerability to increase
the resilience of coastal cities (www.stimson.org, Accessed: 03.06.2022).
Coastal cities are usually pillars of economic development and play an
important role in national economy. However, if the coastal cities are not ready

Year 1 / Issue 2 / July 2022 270