Understanding human vulnerability to climate change: A global perspective on index validation for adaptation planning

Vulnerability to climate change is a complex and dynamic phenomenon involving both social and physical/environmental aspects. It is presented as a method for the quantification of the vulnerability of all municipalities of Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil. It is based on the aggregation of different kinds of environmental, climatic, social, institutional, and epidemiological variables, to form a composite index. This was named “Index of Human Vulnerability” and was calculated using a software (SisVuClima®) specifically developed for this purpose. Social, environmental, and health data were combined with the climatic scenarios RCP 4.5 and 8.5, downscaled from ETA-HadGEM2-ES for each municipality. The Index of Human Vulnerability associated with the RCP 8.5 has shown a higher vulnerability for municipalities in the southern and eastern parts of the state of Minas Gerais.

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Addressing human vulnerability to climate change: Toward a ‘no-regrets’ approach

Global Environmental Change ◽

10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.11.003 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 89-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 279

Author(s):

Rasmus Heltberg ◽

Paul Bennett Siegel ◽

Steen Lau Jorgensen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Human Vulnerability ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change

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Promoting the Resilience of Older Adults Through Participatory Climate Change Adaptation Planning

Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management ◽

10.1515/jhsem-2017-0057 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jason Rhoades ◽

James Gruber ◽

Bill Horton

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Older Adults ◽

Older Adult ◽

Planning Process ◽

Community Services ◽

Adaptation Planning ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽

Raising Awareness ◽

Adult Participants ◽

City Agencies

Abstract Despite older adults’ vulnerability to climate change, little research has investigated their preferred adaptation strategies. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into their perspective and the potential for participatory adaptation to enhance their resilience. This paper presents the results of a collaborative adaptation planning process conducted with older adults in Bridgeport, Connecticut. During two meetings, older adult participants developed recommendations following adaptation best practices. Recommendations focused on encouraging preparedness through workshops and informational materials tailored for older adults. Additional recommendations focused on enhancing community services to provide effective warning mechanisms, shelter access, ride sharing and transportation assistance, and establishing a telephone based clearinghouse for extreme weather and emergency resources for older adults. A prioritization exercise showed that the participants and city staff believed all recommendations were potentially effective and feasible. A summative evaluation showed that the participatory planning enhanced resilience by raising awareness among the older adult participants and city agencies, enhancing communication, and increasing the older adult participants’ ability to self-advocate.

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Assessment of watershed vulnerability to climate change for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests, Utah

10.2737/rmrs-gtr-362 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Janine Rice ◽

Tim Bardsley ◽

Pete Gomben ◽

Dustin Bambrough ◽

Stacey Weems ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

National Forests ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change

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