Different Forms of Vulnerability This module provides a description of the different forms of vulnerability and will cover the following: Vulnerability to today`s climate and vulnerability to tomorrows climate. What is meant by natural, socio-economic, and institutional vulnerability How these different kinds of vulnerabilities interact Additional vulnerability perspectives

1. Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Training for Adaptation
Forms of Vulnerability

2. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Different Forms of Vulnerability
This module provides a description of the different forms of vulnerability and will cover the following:
• Vulnerability to today`s climate and vulnerability to tomorrows climate.
• What is meant by natural, socio-economic, and institutional vulnerability
• How these different kinds of vulnerabilities interact
• Additional vulnerability perspectives
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

3. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Vulnerability to today’s climate as well as tomorrows
• Today's climate is affecting today's society.
• If we are not prepared for today's climate, the task of preparing for an even
“worse” climate will of course then be even tougher.
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

4. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Diagram illustrating the coupled climate system, FAO (2008).
Source: FAO/NRCB (2008)
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

5. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Different forms of vulnerability
The traditional approach in assessing climate change
vulnerability is to ask how future climate could impact on
today’s society.
Our approach goes further and assesses how future climates
might affect future societies. To achieve this we consider the
following:
• Which climate changes will increase pressure on society?
• Which socio-economic changes and institutional changes
make society more or less vulnerable to current climate
conditions?
• Which potential trends will shape society in the future and
generate or alleviate potential areas of vulnerability?
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

6. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
During the Clim-ATIC programme 3 categories of vulnerability were identified and examined.
Source: The Western Norway Research Institute/ Vestlandsforsking, 2011.
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

7. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Natural, socio-economic and institutional vulnerability
• Natural vulnerability - which refers to the ways that climate change may affect society
E.g. increased precipitation and possible effects on increasing risks of flooding
• Socio-economic vulnerability - which refers to how socio-economic change influences society’s
vulnerability to climate change
E.g. changes in land-use patterns when it comes to build new residential houses close to rivers
• Institutional vulnerability - which refers to institutional capacity for handling the challenges of
climate change
E.g. decrease of competence in land use planning in local authorities
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

8. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
How these vulnerabilities interact
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

9. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Additional perspectives on climate vulnerability
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

10. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Possible additional perspectives on climate vulnerability
• Indirect natural vulnerability
– Climate change abroad may have “imported” effects.
E.g. reduced global food security leading to increased prices
of arable land locally.
• GHG mitigation policy vulnerability
– Climate mitigation policies (e.g. tax on fossil fuels) will
affect society.
E.g. reduced number of tourists to a destination dependent
of “fossil-fuelled” inborn tourism transportation.
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource

11. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Forms of Vulnerability
Final key points:
• Socio-economic and institutional vulnerability
may be as important as the natural vulnerability.
• Assess the vulnerability to todays climate is
often the best starting point for addressing
vulnerability of tomorrows climate, because it
can reveal if there are any adaptation deficits.
Climate Adaptation
C. Aall, E. Heiberg & D. Davies, 2012
Online Training Resource