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| | = Definition = | | = Definition = |
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| − | According to the IPCC’s definition “vulnerability is the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse [[Impacts_of_climate_change_on_agricultural_water_management|effects of climate change]], including [[Variability_and_extreme_events|climate variability and extremes]]. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate change and variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its [[Adaptive capacity|adaptive capacity]]”.<ref name="IPCC">IPCC (2007): Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group II Report. http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/contents.html [accessed 17 April 2013]</ref>
| + | Vulnerability is the extent to which people are at risk to suffer negative consequences from [[Variability and extreme events|climate variability and extreme events]] or the effects of climate change. Vulnerabilities appear in different places: A small farmer family living in a flood-prone area can be called vulnerable to climate change, but so can be an economic sector such as rain-fed agriculture as a whole. Depending on the questions at hand, the vulnerability of such different elements of a society (''exposure units'') must be [[Vulnerability_Assessments|assessed]]. |
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| | + | In the IPCC's definition which is generally used in the climate change literature, vulnerability is composed of three components: [[Exposure|exposure]], [[Sensitivity|sensitivity]], and [[Adaptive capacity|adaptive capacity]].<ref name="IPCC">IPCC (2007): Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group II Report. http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/contents.html [accessed 17 April 2013]</ref> Exposure simply measures whether physical change is happening in a particular location, while sensitivity means the degree to which an exposure unit is actually at risk from that change. For example, rain-fed agriculture is more sensitive to changes in precipitation than irrigated agriculture. Finally, adaptive capacity determines whether people are able to adapt in order to mitigate damage or harness positive consequences. |
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| | + | It is important to note that sensitivity and adaptive capacity are not determined by biology alone. They are mediated by economic factors such as income, education, or credit availability, and sometimes even cultural or religious ideas. For example, communal water managers traditionally enjoy high social prestige in some communities in India, increasing the adaptive capacity of communities where these traditional structures are still intact. |
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| | + | = Assessing Vulnerability = |
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| | + | Adaptation means to reduce vulnerability. In agriculture, this can be achieved by lowering exposure, such as building stronger flood defences or relocating, or by lowering sensitivity, such as moving to more drought-resistant crops. Adaptation can also mean building adaptive capacity: Providing a microcredit or subsidy scheme for individual farmers increases their adaptive capacity if the problem is a lack of funds for adaptation. |
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| | + | In any case, planning adaptation requires knowing what is the source of vulnerability. Vulnerability assessments explore the linkages between ecology and society in order to find out how and why climate change is actually harmful to people's livelihoods. They help reduce two key [[Uncertainty|uncertainties]] about climate change: what to adapt to and [[Overview of the Adaptation Process|how to adapt]]. They systematically employ different methods in order to deliver comparable assessments<ref name="AnneHamill">Hamill, Anne et al. (2013): Comparative analysis of climate change vulnerability assessments: Lessons from Tunisia and Indonesia. GIZ. Avaliable from AdaptationCommunity: https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/?wpfb_dl=42</ref> and decide the priorities of adaptation. |
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| | + | As the sources of vulnerability are diverse, different methods are suitable for different decisions. For example, a bottom-up assessment focuses on individual or local livelihoods and identifies exactly how people on the ground are [[Knowledge management (climate change)|aware of]] and vulnerable to climate change. A top-down assessment can be done on a much more aggregated level, aiming to find out how climate change [[Impacts of climate change on agricultural water management|affect an economic sector]], such as irrigated agriculture, or show linkages between sectors via [http://pik-potsdam.de/cigrasp-2/ic/ic.html impact chains]. Other types of assessment are used for [[Monitoring and Evaluation|evaluating adaptation policies]] or as a kick-starting strategy for [[Community-based adaptation|community-based adaptation]]. |
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| | + | = Practical Guidelines (External) = |
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| | + | For a more in-depth literature on vulnerability assessments, see the references cited in the overview on AdaptationCommunity. <ref name="AC-closer-vulnerability">AdaptationCommunity.net: Vulnerability Assessments. https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/index.php/knowledge/vulnerability-assessment/</ref> In the [https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/index.php/knowledge/vulnerability-assessment/ AdaptationCommunity knowledge base], you can find experiences of vulnerability assessments from different countries, some of which pertain specifically to the water sector. See also GIZ 2013<ref>GIZ (2013) Vulnerability Assessments: Experiences of GIZ with Vulnerability Assessments at the local level.</ref>. |
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| − | Adaptation strategies typically draw on vulnerability assessments. These centre on the most vulnerable groups, sectors or systems and identify areas with a need for action. In situations of high [[Uncertainty|uncertainty]] an emphasis on reducing vulnerability to climate risk is most appropriate. In cases of little [[Uncertainty|uncertainty]] direct impact-related [[(General) Adaptation measures|adaptation measures]] are feasible (see also [[Framework planning and coordination|framework planning and coordination]]).
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| | = References = | | = References = |
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| | Birkmann, J., Wisner, B. (2005): Measuring the Un-Measurable - The Challenge of Vulnerability. Report of the Second Meeting of the UNU-EHS Expert Working Group on Measuring Vulnerability, 12-14 October 2005, Bonn, Germany. | | Birkmann, J., Wisner, B. (2005): Measuring the Un-Measurable - The Challenge of Vulnerability. Report of the Second Meeting of the UNU-EHS Expert Working Group on Measuring Vulnerability, 12-14 October 2005, Bonn, Germany. |
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| | + | [[Category:Excellent]] |
| | + | [[Category:Climate_Change]] |
| | + | [[Category:Enabling_Environment]] |
Latest revision as of 11:16, 15 October 2014
[edit] Definition
Vulnerability is the extent to which people are at risk to suffer negative consequences from climate variability and extreme events or the effects of climate change. Vulnerabilities appear in different places: A small farmer family living in a flood-prone area can be called vulnerable to climate change, but so can be an economic sector such as rain-fed agriculture as a whole. Depending on the questions at hand, the vulnerability of such different elements of a society (exposure units) must be assessed.
In the IPCC's definition which is generally used in the climate change literature, vulnerability is composed of three components: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.[1] Exposure simply measures whether physical change is happening in a particular location, while sensitivity means the degree to which an exposure unit is actually at risk from that change. For example, rain-fed agriculture is more sensitive to changes in precipitation than irrigated agriculture. Finally, adaptive capacity determines whether people are able to adapt in order to mitigate damage or harness positive consequences.
It is important to note that sensitivity and adaptive capacity are not determined by biology alone. They are mediated by economic factors such as income, education, or credit availability, and sometimes even cultural or religious ideas. For example, communal water managers traditionally enjoy high social prestige in some communities in India, increasing the adaptive capacity of communities where these traditional structures are still intact.
[edit] Assessing Vulnerability
Adaptation means to reduce vulnerability. In agriculture, this can be achieved by lowering exposure, such as building stronger flood defences or relocating, or by lowering sensitivity, such as moving to more drought-resistant crops. Adaptation can also mean building adaptive capacity: Providing a microcredit or subsidy scheme for individual farmers increases their adaptive capacity if the problem is a lack of funds for adaptation.
In any case, planning adaptation requires knowing what is the source of vulnerability. Vulnerability assessments explore the linkages between ecology and society in order to find out how and why climate change is actually harmful to people's livelihoods. They help reduce two key uncertainties about climate change: what to adapt to and how to adapt. They systematically employ different methods in order to deliver comparable assessments[2] and decide the priorities of adaptation.
As the sources of vulnerability are diverse, different methods are suitable for different decisions. For example, a bottom-up assessment focuses on individual or local livelihoods and identifies exactly how people on the ground are aware of and vulnerable to climate change. A top-down assessment can be done on a much more aggregated level, aiming to find out how climate change affect an economic sector, such as irrigated agriculture, or show linkages between sectors via impact chains. Other types of assessment are used for evaluating adaptation policies or as a kick-starting strategy for community-based adaptation.
[edit] Practical Guidelines (External)
For a more in-depth literature on vulnerability assessments, see the references cited in the overview on AdaptationCommunity. [3] In the AdaptationCommunity knowledge base, you can find experiences of vulnerability assessments from different countries, some of which pertain specifically to the water sector. See also GIZ 2013[4].
[edit] References
- ↑ IPCC (2007): Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group II Report. http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/contents.html [accessed 17 April 2013]
- ↑ Hamill, Anne et al. (2013): Comparative analysis of climate change vulnerability assessments: Lessons from Tunisia and Indonesia. GIZ. Avaliable from AdaptationCommunity: https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/?wpfb_dl=42
- ↑ AdaptationCommunity.net: Vulnerability Assessments. https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/index.php/knowledge/vulnerability-assessment/
- ↑ GIZ (2013) Vulnerability Assessments: Experiences of GIZ with Vulnerability Assessments at the local level.
Birkmann, J., Wisner, B. (2005): Measuring the Un-Measurable - The Challenge of Vulnerability. Report of the Second Meeting of the UNU-EHS Expert Working Group on Measuring Vulnerability, 12-14 October 2005, Bonn, Germany.
