Vulnerability Index Analysis of Bepondi Island as a Reference for Small and Outer Islands Management in Indonesian

Abstract

Indonesia is an archipelagic country with many small islands as the outer border of the territory. Special attention and development programs are important due to it relates to the improvement of public welfare and national sovereignty. Therefore, the vulnerability study for small and outer islands is urgently conducted as an initial step for regional development programs. This study aims to analyze the vulnerability level of Bepondi Island, West Papua from various threats either directly from nature by biologically, geologically, climate change effect, or anthropological and social-economic. To determine the small and outer island's vulnerability, composite vulnerability index (CVI) has been applied. Several ecological indexes have been composited were coastal index (CI), Isolation Index (II), Land-used degradation index (LDI), Ecosystem degradation index, and Sea Level Rise Index (SLRI). The results showed that Bepondi Island has CVI calculated for 0.47, which means the island was exposed to medium-high vulnerability. This was caused by the threat from abrasion, potential landslide, and isolation. On the other hand, this island has a fairly high fishery potential. Therefore, mitigation plans to cope with disasters were urgently needed and communication infrastructures must be promptly built as a countermeasure for the island's isolation problem.