Approximately 11% of the world's population lives within 10 km of an ocean coastline, a percentage that is likely to increase during the remainder of the 21st century due to urbanization and economic development. In the presence of climate change, coastal communities will be threatened by increasing damages due to sea-level rise (SLR), accompanied by hurricanes, storm surges and coastal inundation, shoreline erosion, and seawater intrusion into the soil. While the past decade has seen numerous proposals for coastal protection using adaptation methods to deal with the deep uncertainties associated with a changing climate, our review of the potential impact of SLR on the resilience of coastal communities reveals that these adaptation methods have not been informed by community resilience or recovery goals. Moreover, since SLR is likely to continue over the next century, periodic changes to these community goals may be necessary for public planning and risk mitigation. Finally, community policy development must be based on a quantitative risk-informed life-cycle basis to develop public support for the substantial public investments required. We propose potential research directions to identify effective adaptation methods based on the gaps identified in our review, culminating in a decision framework that is informed by community resilience goals and metrics and risk analysis over community infrastructure life cycles.

This study explores how Pacitan Bay, Indonesia's coastal vegetation, can help mitigate tsunamis. It combines numerical modelling and field observations to assess the role and performance of vegetation while addressing the existing vegetated occupancy and gap between sectors. The study utilises simulations and on-site data to evaluate how coastal vegetation reduces tsunami wave energy and enhances coastal resilience. The findings emphasise the importance of vegetation as a natural defence against tsunamis in Pacitan Bay and highlight the need to address the open gap. This research offers valuable insights for coastal management, improving future strategies for effective tsunami mitigation.Research highlightsThe research confirms the effectiveness of using a nested grid pattern to accurately simulate tsunamis in intricate coastal areas, showcasing successful grid transitions and propagation of reflected waves.The role of coastal vegetation in reducing the impact of tsunamis is vital, as larger forested areas and denser vegetation result in more effective wave reduction.Challenges faced by coastal vegetation in Pacitan Bay encompass soil quality, microclimate conditions, land-use changes, and threats such as illegal logging and natural events.Addressing these challenges requires a combination of policies, enforcement, community-based initiatives, and collaboration to enhance coastal resilience and maintain a thriving ecosystem.