Profiling resilience and adaptation in mega deltas: A comparative assessment of the Mekong, Yellow, Yangtze, and Rhine deltas

verfasst von

C. Kuenzer, V. Heimhuber, J. Day, O. Varis, T. Bucx, F. Renaud, L. Gaohuan, V.Q. Tuan, T. Schlurmann, W. Glamore

Abstract

River deltas and estuaries are disproportionally-significant coastal landforms that are inhabited by nearly 600 M people globally. In recent history, rapid socio-economic development has dramatically changed many of the World's mega deltas, which have typically undergone agricultural intensification and expansion, land-use change, urbanization, water resources engineering and exploitation of natural resources. As a result, mega deltas have evolved into complex and potentially vulnerable socio-ecological systems with unique threats and coping capabilities. The goal of this research was to establish a holistic understanding of threats, resilience, and adaptation for four mega deltas of variable geography and levels of socio-economic development, namely the Mekong, Yellow River, Yangtze, and Rhine deltas. Compiling this kind of information is critical for managing and developing these complex coastal areas sustainably but is typically hindered by a lack of consistent quantitative data across the ecological, social and economic sectors. To overcome this limitation, we adopted a qualitative approach, where delta characteristics across all sectors were assessed through systematic expert surveys. This approach enabled us to generate a comparative assessment of threats, resilience, and resilience-strengthening adaptation across the four deltas. Our assessment provides novel insights into the various components that dominate the overall risk situation in each delta and, for the first time, illustrates how each of these components differ across the four mega deltas. As such, our findings can guide a more detailed, sector specific, risk assessment or assist in better targeting the implementation of risk mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Ludwig-Franzius-Institut für Wasserbau, Ästuar- und Küsteningenieurwesen

Externe Organisation(en)

Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Louisiana State University
Aalto University
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (UNESCO-IHE)
University of Glasgow
Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences
Can Tho University

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Ocean and Coastal Management

Band

198

ISSN

0964-5691

Publikationsdatum

01.12.2020

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Aquatische Wissenschaften, Management, Monitoring, Politik und Recht, Ozeanographie

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 8 – Anständige Arbeitsbedingungen und wirtschaftliches Wachstum, SDG 13 – Klimaschutzmaßnahmen, SDG 15 – Lebensraum Land

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105362 (Zugang: Geschlossen)