Incorporating socioeconomic variables in coastal vulnerability assessment on the Southern Coast of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Coastal populations are significantly affected by coastal vulnerability. Sea level rise and other climate change effects, such as erosion, flooding, and storm surges, threaten many countries, including Indonesia, and can impact the natural environment and coastal populations. Using the Gornitz equation, the study aimed to quantify the vulnerability levels of three coastal areas in Yogyakarta: Trisik (2.6-km long coastline), Parangtritis (6.61 km), and Baron (0.235 km). This study offers a more comprehensive approach by incorporating land use and population density, which reflect socioeconomic factors, alongside basic elements such as geomorphology, elevation, coastal slope, shoreline changes, tidal range, and significant wave height. The findings indicate that Trisik and Parangtritis have similar coastal vulnerability indices of 30.62, categorizing them as highly vulnerable, while Baron shows a lower value of 18.37, classified as moderately vulnerable. This study found that the key parameters influencing coastal vulnerability were geomorphology, shoreline changes, tidal range, land use, and population density. The findings provide valuable information to raise awareness among policy and decision makers for developing mitigation and adaptation strategies, particularly in addressing the impacts of climate change on coastal communities. © 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.