Vulnerability,%20Resilience,%20and%20Adaptation%20in%20the%20IPCC%20framework

1
Vulnerability, Resilience, and Adaptation in the
IPCC framework

• Vulnerabilities of the Carbon-Climate-Human
  System
• Patricia Romero Lankao
• Paris, June 2005

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Goal

• Characterize vulnerability related concepts
  used by the IPCC community to
• Underscore commonalities and differences in
  language/approach between both IPCC and Carbon
  communities
• Explore venues for an approach integrating socio
  natural spheres and interactions between their
  components (a not well developed area of
  research)

3
IPCCs approach vulnerability (adaptation)

• One definition1, propensity of groups, systems,
  persons to suffer harm, (anticipate), cope with,
  resist and recover from impacts of CC and other
  stressors2
• Context (locality) specific (scale matters)3
• Depends on adaptive capacity, sensitivity and
  exposure to the impacts of CC, also related to
  the distribution of sources and prior stressors
  (history of group, system, )
• Key research issue understanding its (social and
  natural) causal and internal dimensions (coping
  actions) (multiple disciplines)

4
IPCCs approach, adaptive capacity

• Ability of a system or group to evolve to
  accommodate CC or expand range of variability
  with which it can cope
• Vector of resources and assets representing a
  resource to draw on to undertake adaptation
• Unevenly distributed, related to assets1
  available to cope with CC, distribution of
  resources within a population, and institutions
  mediating exposures and coping with climate
  change

5
IPCCs approach resilience

• Capacity for positive adaptation despite
  adversity1
• Three features of socio-ecological resilience
  relevant for an approach integrating socio
  natural spheres
• a) ability to buffer disturbance,
• b) capability to self-organize, and adaptation
• c) capacity for learning and learning how to
  learn, for communicating 2

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A new approach to vulnerability

• Multidisciplinary, recognizing that V
• Caused by socio-natural interactions and a
  property of natural and human systems
• Two dimensions external (structural) and
  internal (agency)
• Related to multiple stressors operating at
  diverse scales
• Scale dependant
• Demanding hence alternative tools (e.g.
  vulnerability assessments)