With　the　global　rise　in　sea　levels　caused　by　climate　change　and　frequent　extreme　weather　processes,　high-density　population　aggregation　and　human　development　activities　to　enhance　coastal　areas　vulnerability,　populations,　resources,　and　the　ecological　environment　are　facing　huge　pressure.　Natural　coastlines　are　being　destroyed,　and　increasingly　serious　problems,　such　as　coastal　erosion　and　ecological　fragility,　have　become　disasters　in　coastal　zones.　The　coastal　vulnerability　changed　by　climatic　variables　has　created　a　major　concern　at　regional,　national　and　global　scales.　By　comparing　the　data　of　two　periods　in　the　past　40　years,　coastline　vulnerability　of　coastal　erosion　in　mainland　China　were　evaluated　by　use　of　reverse　cloud　model　and　AHP　with　10　indicators,　including　natural,　anthropogenic,　social　and　economic　factors,　etc.　The　main　factors　controlling　coastal　erosion　included　the　proportion　of　Quaternary　strata,　the　gradual　reclamation　of　marine　areas　as　land　areas　(in　kilometres)　and　the　percentage　decrease　in　coastal　sediment　entering　the　sea.　The　secondary　impact　factors　included　the　high　proportion　of　artificial　coastlines　and　the　impacts　of　waves　and　storm　surges　under　the　influence　of　relative　sea　level　changes.　Human　activities　could　further　influence　coastal　vulnerability,　making　the　erosion　risk　a　considerable　concern.　Legislation,　coordinated　management　system　and　technology　are　proposed　to　improve　the　quality　of　the　marine　ecological　environment.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd