According to one principle of classification, an emergent coastline is a coastline which has experienced a fall in sea level, because of either a global sea level change, or local uplift. Emergent coastlines are identifiable by the coastal landforms, which are above the high tide mark, such as raised beaches. In contrast, a submergent coastline is one where the sea level has risen, due to a global sea level change, local subsidence, or isostatic rebound. Submergent coastlines are identifiable by their submerged, or "drowned" landforms, such as rias (drowned valleys) and fjords.

According to a second principle of classification, a concordant coastline is a coastline where bands of different rock types run parallel to the shore. These rock types are usually of varying resistance, so the coastline forms distinctive landforms, such as coves. Discordant coastlines feature distinctive landforms because the rocks are eroded by ocean waves. The less resistant rocks erode faster, creating inlets or bay; the more resistant rocks erode more slowly, remaining as headlands or outcroppings.

Other coastal categories:

• A cliffed coast or abrasion coast is one where marine action has produced steep declivities known as cliffs.
• A flat coast is one where the land gradually descends into the sea.
• A graded shoreline is one where wind and water action has produced a flat and straight coastline.

 Environmental impact assessments are intended to identify the potential impacts of a project in the early planning stages, as well as any alternatives or mitigation measures. The EIA process started being applied in a limited form in the 1980s in Hong Kong, when the government started assessing its own projects. The process expanded through the 1990s, resulting in the EIA Ordinance which makes EIAs statutory for designated projects in both the private and public sectors. One of the hallmarks of the Ordinance is that it allows