Understanding Vulnerability in Climate Change Adaptation

Integrating climate change adaptation in disaster risk reduction Module 2 Understanding vulnerability

Welcome to e-Learning on integrating climate change adaptation in disaster risk reduction! This module is part of an e-Learning package on integrating climate change adaptation in disaster risk reduction. The package includes five modules: 1. Concepts in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation 2. Understanding vulnerability 3. Introduction to disaster risk reduction 4. Introduction to climate change adaptation 5. Guiding principles for integrating adaptation in disaster risk reduction We recommend that you work through the modules in the specified order. To access the other e-Learning modules, please visit the: e-Learning Center - Integrating climate change adaptation in disaster risk reduction NOTE: You will need a user name and password to access the e-Learning Center. If you do not have an account, please contact: MinervaSupport@care.ca

Who are the e-Learning modules for? How were they developed? The e-Learning modules are designed for disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners. This includes practitioners within CARE, as well as our civil society and government partner organizations. They were developed by Raks Thai Foundation and CARE, with significant inputs from CARE experts on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and most importantly from practitioners engaged in DRR initiatives in Country Offices across the Asia Pacific Region, as well as in Raks Thai Foundation. Practitioner perspectives were gathered through two workshops. An initial workshop was conducted to develop the overall framework and brainstorm on key content. In the second workshop, the draft modules were tested and feedback was gathered. The current version reflects inputs from both workshops. The modules reflect CARE s current thinking on integrating adaptation in DRR initiatives. They should be considered as working versions. Our approach will be tested and refined as we develop more experience in this area. Please send any feedback on these modules to Bruce Ravesloot: ravesloot@careclimatechange.org

You can move through the module at your own pace. Introduction Vulnerability to what? We estimate that this module will take you approximately 1 hour to complete. Vulnerability factors However, everyone learns at a different speed, so you should feel comfortable moving at your own pace. Practical example Climate change & vulnerability The map on the right helps you to track your progress through the module. Where you are will be highlighted in orange. Gender & vulnerability We recommend that you go through the module in sequence, however you will have the option of jumping forwards or backwards by clicking on the map. Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review At any point, you can go back to the previous slide by clicking the back arrow. Use the forward arrow to move through the module.

Throughout the module, youll find links to key definitions and documents. This e-Learning module is designed to be as clear and user-friendly as possible. So, as we introduce different concepts, we ll use simple language and examples to promote understanding. However, we will also provide links to official definitions for those who prefer this approach, as well as to documents that provide a more comprehensive overview. Any time you see underlined text in the module, you can click to access the official definition. Links to documents will be indicated by an orange box: Name of Document Clicking on the document boxes will take you to an external website, so you ll need to be online to access these documents. Are you ready? Then let s get started!

e-Learning Module 2 Understanding vulnerability

Learning Objective for Module 2 Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? The learning objective for this module is to build understanding of the concept of vulnerability as it is used in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and in climate change adaptation. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Vulnerability is a core concept in DRR and adaptation, and must be understood in order to move forward in learning about the two approaches. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability The main issues covered in this module are shown in the map. Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

As we learned in Module 1, both adaptation and DRR focus on reducing vulnerability. Module 2 focuses on building understanding of vulnerability. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? To review from Module 1: Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Climate change makes disaster risk reduction even more important. Practical example Practical example With the exception of geophysical hazards, climate change affects all types of natural hazards. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Vulnerability to climate change and disasters: Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Depends on exposure to hazards. Is determined by human, social, physical, natural, political and financial factors. Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Varies within communities and even within households. Knowledge Review Knowledge Review More capacity means less vulnerability.

When thinking about vulnerability, it can be important to consider the question, vulnerability to what? . Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Different people have varying degrees of vulnerability to different hazards. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors What people are vulnerable to depends on where they live and how they gain their livelihoods. It can also depend on how poor they are, how much power they have and their status in their household or community. Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability This means that vulnerability can vary within communities and even within households. Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability In this module, we ll explore vulnerability to climate change and disasters. This broad term encompasses vulnerability to current and future climate hazards, as well as other hazards that are not climate-related. Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

To understand vulnerability, we must look at the full range of hazards that people are exposed to. We must also look how hazards interact. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? People may be exposed to a range of different hazards. For example, a community may be exposed to both drought and to heavy rainfall events. With climate change impacts on rainfall patterns, these events may become more frequent or more severe. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example A community suffering from a drought is likely to be grappling with food insecurity and limitations in access to water for domestic and productive uses, among other negative effects. These negative effects place the community in a vulnerable position, particularly if the drought is followed by heavy rains causing flooding or landslides. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Vulnerability reduction efforts must therefore consider the different hazards people are exposed to, and how these different hazards may interact with each other to exacerbate vulnerability. This is particularly important in the context of climate change. Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Lets consider the different factors that may contribute to vulnerability to climate change and disasters. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Human Factors Social Factors Vulnerability factors Human Factors Social Factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Physical Factors Financial Factors Physical Factors Financial Factors Climate change vulnerability Vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Political Factors Natural Factors Political Factors Natural Factors Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review Exposure to hazards Click on the different types of factors for explanations and examples.

In every community, these different factors work in combination to determine people s degree of vulnerability to climate change and disasters. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability factors Human Factors Social Factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Physical Factors Financial Factors Climate change vulnerability Vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Political Factors Natural Factors Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review REFLECTION Think about a community that you work in. Can you identify an example of each of these different types of factors that contribute to vulnerability to climate change and disasters?

Lets think about vulnerability to climate change and disasters using a practical example. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review As you examine the photo, think about the different factors that may make the people living in the orange and blue houses vulnerable to climate change and disasters.

Vulnerability is a function of exposure to hazards. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Which family do you think has higher exposure to flood hazards the one living in the blue house, or the one living in the orange house? Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Click on the house below to indicate your response. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Vulnerability is determined by human, social, physical, natural, political and financial factors. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? In the orange house lives a family of four. The man of the house works for a company that builds roads, and he is away during the dry season. The woman of the house has a small rice field and grows some vegetables on another plot. She sells any surplus at the local market. Their two children attend the village school. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability In the blue house lives a family of three. The man of the house died five years ago. The woman of the house grows vegetables in a small kitchen garden. She rarely has a surplus, and sometimes the family faces a shortage of rice. Her son attends the village school, while the daughter stays home to help out around the house. Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review REFLECTION What does this tell you about the relative vulnerability of these two families? What types of factors are at play?

Climate change can affect exposure to hazard events. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? In the past, to plan a DRR action to reduce the vulnerability of the families in these two houses to flooding, you would typically look at the extent, frequency and impacts of past flood events and plan your action on this basis. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Climate change means that we can t expect that things will happen as they have in the past. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability For example, if the region shown in the photo is likely to experience more frequent heavy rain events, it could mean that flooding will happen more often. If these heavy rain events involve more rain than in the past, the flooding could be more extensive than before. Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Each of these scenarios will change the exposure of the families living in these two houses to flooding. Knowledge Review To effectively reduce vulnerability to disasters, we need to consider future climate scenarios as well as past events.

Climate change can also affect vulnerability to hazard events. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? In addition to increasing exposure to hazard events, the impacts of climate change may also affect vulnerability to these hazards. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Increased frequency and intensity of hazard events means that people have less time to recover between different events. It may also mean that people s traditional coping mechanisms may no longer be effective, resulting in a downward spiral of vulnerability. Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability There is also the effect of changing conditions caused by climate change, such as shifting rainfall patterns or temperature changes. These smaller, slower changes do not qualify as hazard events, but they can have a significant impact on people s livelihoods, for example through reduced crop yields or negative health impacts. These effects in turn can lead to increased their vulnerability over time. Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review To effectively reduce vulnerability to disasters, we need to consider how climate change may affect vulnerability to hazard events.

Lets return to the orange house by the river. Where does climate change fit in to this scenario? Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Climate change could mean that flooding of the river reaches heights it has not reached in the past, or that floods happen more frequently. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example It could also mean less rain overall, resulting in drier dry seasons. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability What does this mean for the man and the woman of the orange house in terms of the effects of the flood and their responses? Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Understanding vulnerability to climate change: Insights from application of CARE s Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (CVCA) Methodology Understanding vulnerability to climate change: Insights from application of CARE s Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis (CVCA) Methodology Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Gender inequality is an important social factor contributing to vulnerability to climate change and disasters. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Gender inequality exists when women, girls, boys and men do not experience equal enjoyment of rights, opportunities, resources and rewards. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Gender, along with class and race, determines the roles, power and access to/control over resources for females and males in any culture. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability These are important factors in determining vulnerability. Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability When analyzing vulnerability, we must consider the gender dimensions. Often, women and men are not equally vulnerable, even if they live in the same house. Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Women are often particularly vulnerable due to their roles, power and rights in their households and communities. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Experience has shown that women are often particularly vulnerable to climate change and disasters. This may be true for a number of different reasons, including: Women are often responsible for household food, water and fuel, all of which may be more difficult to secure in times of crisis. In many contexts, women have less power to make decisions about household livelihoods and less control over important resources such as land. This places them at a disadvantage when it comes to risk management. There is a tendency for women to be under-represented in community affairs, including development of disaster risk reduction plans. This means that these plans may not respond to women s needs and priorities. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review However, this is not to say that all women are vulnerable, or that men are not vulnerable. What is important is to understand who is vulnerable, to what, and why. Gender often plays a role in this.

Lets go back again to the orange house to explore the gender dimensions of vulnerability. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? In the orange house by the river, there is a man and a woman. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Imagine that a flood has just occurred. Practical example Practical example Do you think that the man and the woman of the house will be affected equally? Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Will they experience the flood in the same ways? Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Will they respond in the same ways? Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Why or why not? Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Vulnerability is a dynamic concept. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? People s vulnerability to different hazards changes over time. This is particularly true in the context of a changing climate. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Climate change means that climate- and weather-related hazards are more likely to occur, may be more serious, and may occur in places that they have never occurred before. It also means that there is increased uncertainty around hazards. Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability The best place to start is by understanding the current situation with respect to vulnerability. Then you can consider how the situation will change with the impacts of climate change. This will move you towards solutions that are effective in the short term and sustainable in the long term. Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability It s also extremely important to monitor changes in vulnerability over time. Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Lets review the key learning points for this module. Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Different people have varying degrees of vulnerability to different hazards. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Vulnerability is determined by human, social, physical, natural, political and financial factors. Practical example Practical example To effectively reduce vulnerability to disasters, we need to consider future climate scenarios as well as past events. We must also consider how climate change may affect vulnerability to hazard events over time. Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability When analyzing vulnerability, we must consider the gender dimensions. Often, women and men are not equally vulnerable, even if they live in the same house. Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review Vulnerability is a dynamic concept it changes over time and in relation to different hazards.

Ready to review your knowledge? Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? In this module, we ve explored the different dimensions of vulnerability to build your understanding. Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Next, you ll have a chance to review your knowledge before moving on to the next module. Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability Ready? Climate change & vulnerability If you feel you re ready for the knowledge review, click on the forward arrow. Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Not quite there yet? Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability If you d like to go through the any part of the module again before moving on to the knowledge review, click on the appropriate box in the map. Knowledge Review Knowledge Review

Knowledge Review Question 1 Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? TRUE OR FALSE? Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Climate change can increase both the probability of hazard events and people s vulnerability to these events. Practical example Practical example Climate change vulnerability TRUE FALSE Climate change & vulnerability Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability TRUE FALSE Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review Click on the appropriate box to indicate your answer.

Knowledge Review Question 2 Introduction Introduction Vulnerability to what? Vulnerability to what? Women and men are not equally vulnerable to climate change and disasters. This is because: Vulnerability factors Vulnerability factors Practical example Practical example They play different roles in the household They have different levels of control over resources Both of these statements are true They have different levels of control over resources They play different roles in the household Climate change vulnerability Climate change & vulnerability Both of these statements are true Gender vulnerability Gender & vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Dynamic vulnerability Knowledge Review Knowledge Review Click on the appropriate box to indicate your answer.

Congratulations! Youve completed Module 2. We hope that you have found this to be a useful learning experience. To access the other e-Learning modules, please visit the: e-Learning Center - Integrating climate change adaptation in disaster risk reduction NOTE: You will need a user name and password to access the modules. If you do not have an account, please contact: MinervaSupport@care.ca Thank you for your participation! You can exit the module by pressing the Esc key.