22 JUL 2025 (TUE) 10:35-10:55

Coastal Vulnerability under Relative Sea Level Changes Driven by Natural and Human Factors

Ms LIANG Xindan 

( Supervisor: Prof Hongsheng Zhang )

Abstract:

In the context of global climate change, understanding relative sea-level change (RSLC) and their socio-economic impacts is crucial. This thesis addresses significant gaps in our comprehension of regional-to-global RSLC by integrating geophysical analyses, machine learning, and socio-economic assessments across three interconnected studies. Focused on coastal vulnerability under climate change, the research elucidates the interplay between natural climate oscillations, vertical land motion (VLM), and anthropogenic drivers in influencing RSLC.

The first part of study conducts a comprehensive half-century analysis of tide gauge data in Hong Kong, revealing non-stationary, multi-scale sea-level dynamics through the application of Wavelet Transform and Hilbert-Huang Transform techniques. The second part evaluates global coastal VLM from 1993 to 2022, employing satellite altimetry, tide gauges, and machine learning to differentiate between natural and anthropogenic subsidence. Finally, the third part presents a high-resolution analysis of global RSLC based on GNSS and satellite data, integrating socio-economic indicators to quantify climate inequality.

This work advocates for a reorientation of coastal management strategies, emphasizing the need for subnational VLM mitigation, the establishment of early warning systems for climate teleconnection-driven extremes, and the implementation of redistributive mechanisms to support the Global South in addressing the compound pressures of RSLC and development.