Vulnerability Assessments
Landscape-scale Indicators of Biodiversity's Vulnerability to Climate Change
This paper describes "a rapid and cost-effective method to estimate the vulnerability of biodiversity to climate change impacts across broad areas using landscape-scale indicators." It is written by Kirk R. Klausmeyer, M. Rebecca Shaw, Jason B. MacKenzie, and D. Richard Cameron.
Indicators to assess community-level climate change vulnerability: An addendum to SocMon and SEM-Pasifika regional socioeconomic monitoring guidelines
The purpose of this addendum is to provide a minimum set of socioeconomic indicators related to climate change. These can be included in a socioeconomic assessment of any site for which climate change impacts are an important issue. This document is being added to regional socioeconomic monitoring guidelines produced by the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative for Coastal Management (www.socmon.org).
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments, Lessons Learned from Practical Experience: Practitioner’s Responses to Frequently Asked Questions
The Nature Conservancy’s Global Climate Change Team, Southwest Climate Change Initiative and Colorado chapter joined forces to organize a two-day workshop for internal and external climate adaptation experts. Each of the participants was invited because s/he played a key role in assessing climate change vulnerability in a state or region. We asked them to share their experiences and to work with us to document lessons learned for distribution to the conservation community.
Presentations by Participants at the Workshop:
- John O'Leary: Using Vulnerability Assessment Results to Inform Agency Decisions
- Mark Anderson discussed research that went into this paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011554
- Josh Lawler: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for the Pacific Northwest
NWF Vulnerability Assessment Guidelines
Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment is the product of an expert workgroup consisting of leading scientists from federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and universities. The peer-reviewed guide is designed to help conservation professionals and natural resource managers craft effective strategies to prepare for and cope with the effects of rapid climate change on the nation’s fish, wildlife, and natural habitats.
NatureServe Climate Change Vulnerability Index
Using the Index, you apply readily available information about a species’ natural history, distribution and landscape circumstances to predict whether it will likely suffer a range contraction, population reductions, or both during the coming years. You can use the Index as part of a variety of analyses, including assessing the relative risk of species listed in State Wildlife Action Plans or part of any assessment of the vulnerability of species to climate change.
EPA - Framework for Categorizing the Relative Vulnerability of Threatened and Endangered Species to Climate Change
The US EPA has published a draft document describing an evaluative framework that may be used to categorize the relative vulnerability of threatened and endangered (T&E) species to climate change.
Action Aid International: Participatory Vulnerability Analysis - A step by step guide for field staff
The importance of breaking down the complexity of vulnerability into manageable components with communities is that we can jointly see what can be done to reduce their exposure to hazards and shocks. This is strongly founded on the idea that communities know their situations best and so any analysis should be built on their knowledge of local conditions.
Emergency Management Australia - Assessing Resilience & Vulnerability: Principles, Strategies & Actions
These guidelines have been developed in conjunction with a number of agencies and municipalities and have been discussed with local people. Their comments and observations have been used to review and further develop this document.
UNU-EHS: Measuring the Un-Measurable -The Challenge of Vulnerability
A short and succinct title as well as an indication of the challenges and difficulties in deriving appropriate methodologies, indicators and criteria to identify, measure and assess vulnerabilities of societies at risk.
UNDP: Developing Socio-economic Scenarios for use in Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments
Agriculture and water are vital resources for any country, and this importance is reflected in the attention paid to both sectors by policy-makers. But often management decisions are taken at the local, national, or even regional level, without any consideration of what may happen in the future. This is where socio-economic scenarios can be useful tools for making better-informed policy decisions.
USAID: How Resilient Is Your Coastal Community?
The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, which exacted a devastating toll in human suffering and destruction in affected coastal areas, was a painful reminder that coastal communities are vulnerable to unforeseen events that can bring about massive changes. Coastal communities today, around the world, are experiencing an unprecedented rate of change due to population growth in coastal areas, human induced vulnerability, and global climate change.
