Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI)

A coastal vulnerability index combines physical variables (geomorphology, coastal slope, relative sea-level trend, shoreline change rate, mean tide range, and significant wave height) into a single ranked score that flags which stretches of coast are most exposed to sea-level rise and erosion. The USGS CVI is the widely used template. It is a screening tool, not a predictive model: it orders relative risk to guide where detailed studies and adaptation spending should go first.