Vulnerability assessment of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast to climate change

Climate changes in terms of sea level rise and global warming impose different ramifications upon the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, which extends to 1840 km and witnesses accelerated urban development. The shoreline is mostly resistant to erosion and inundation by seawater due to the inherent hard nature and the relatively higher relief. Digital elevation models reveal that only about 890 km(2) of the coast occurs below 1 m. Global warming has a more conceivable impact upon the coast as numerous coral reef ecosystems exist, and the harm is inevitable. The coastal vulnerability index indicates that about 16 % of the coast is under high vulnerability, whereas 44 % of the coast is intimately low vulnerable to climate change. Higher vulnerable coastal segments include: relatively flat and lowlands; inhabited; and/or coral-mangrove-rich shorelines. Coastal zone management and rescue plans are essential to protect coastal resources for a long-term sustainable development.