Coastal Erosion Risk Assessment Framework Developed for Red River Delta, Vietnam

Strategic Insights -

A new study by researchers from Ocean University of China has led to the development of a coastal erosion risk assessment framework for the Red River Delta in Vietnam. The framework integrates 17 indicators, including human activities, socioeconomic factors, shoreline type, and vegetation cover, to assess the risk of coastal erosion in the region. The study found that coastal erosion risk in the RRD is relatively high, with greater risk concentrated in the central and northern segments of the coastline compared to the flanking areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The coastal erosion risk assessment framework incorporates hazard, exposure, and vulnerability dimensions to provide a comprehensive understanding of the risk.
  • The framework is based on 17 indicators, including human activities, socioeconomic factors, shoreline type, and vegetation cover, which are weighted using expert evaluation and the analytic hierarchy process.
  • The application of the framework reveals that coastal erosion risk in the RRD is relatively high, with greater risk concentrated in the central and northern segments of the coastline compared to the flanking areas.
  • The framework provides valuable insights for coastal erosion prevention, mitigation strategies, and the optimization of coastal spatial planning.
  • The study concludes that a reasonable resource use and management policy can be developed to minimize related natural disasters through the implementation of the "Protection-Adaptation" strategy.
  • Two main groups of solutions are proposed under the "Protection-Adaptation" strategy to prevent natural disasters, minimize risks, and sustainably develop the coastal area of the RRD.

Statistics:

  • 17 indicators are integrated into the coastal erosion risk assessment framework, including human activities, socioeconomic factors, shoreline type, and vegetation cover.
  • The framework is based on expert evaluation and the analytic hierarchy process to determine the weights of the indicators.
  • The study finds that coastal erosion risk in the RRD is relatively high, with 60% of the coastline experiencing high risks.
  • The central and northern segments of the coastline have a higher concentration of high-risk areas compared to the flanking areas.

Sources:

  • Risk Assessment and Management Strategy of Coastal Erosion in the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Land, 2025, 14(6):1247. (https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061247)
  • NewsRx. Researchers from Ocean University of China Publish Findings in Landscape Ecology (Risk Assessment and Management Strategy of Coastal Erosion in the Red River Delta, Vietnam). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. July 11, 2025; p 2064.