This module defines the following concepts -Impacts -Coping Range -Vulnerability -Exposure -Sensitivity And explains the relationship between them and adaptive capacity.

1. Online Training Resource: Climate Adaptation
Analysing Climate Vulnerability

2. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Basic Concepts
Basic Concepts
This module will define the following concepts
• Impacts
• Coping Range
• Vulnerability
• Exposure
• Sensitivity
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

3. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Basic Concepts
Impacts
Climate change impacts are the consequences of the changes in, and interactions between natural
and human systems.
A system’s resilience can be measured by the magnitude of damage it can tolerate and still
autonomously return to its original state. It begins to fail once it can no longer withstand changes
without significant adverse impacts.
Coping Range
A system’s capacity to accommodate variations in climatic conditions from year-to-year, without
significant adverse impacts or the crossing of critical thresholds, is referred to as their “coping range”.
The coping range, also known as the vulnerability or damage threshold, varies among systems and
regions and may itself change, reflecting new technologies and information to a system or, conversely,
a loss of knowledge and skills from a system.
The coping range reflects the adaptive capacity of a system to deal with current variability.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

4. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Basic Concepts
Vulnerability
Vulnerability is determined by the level of
exposure these systems have to multiple
stresses, to shocks and to risk over a long period.
Use of the term ‘vulnerability’ does not presume
that a community or system are actually
vulnerable.
Vulnerability within the field of climate adaptation
reflects a combination of exposure and sensitivity
to climatic risks, and also the adaptive capacity to
deal with those risks.
Both impacts and vulnerability may be reduced by
adaptation that is -
adjustments in natural or human systems
to a new or changing environment.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

5. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Basic Concepts
Vulnerability = Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive capacity.
Vulnerability is a product of exposure, sensitivity and
adaptive capacity.
The greater the exposure or sensitivity, the greater the
vulnerability.
However it is very important to note that adaptive
capacity is inversely related to vulnerability.
Thus, the greater the adaptive capacity,
. . . . the lesser the vulnerability.
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource

6. Process Stage 1
Analysing Climate Vulnerability: Basic Concepts
Changes in mean climate,
variability, extreme events and Effects on livelihoods Impact on vulnerability
sea level rise
Increased temperature and Direct impacts of climatic shocks Increased vulnerability due to:
changes in precipitation reduces and stresses such as livelihood
agricultural and natural resources. assets, health, food and water •Lower capacity to prepare
security
•Lower capacity to cope
Changes in precipitation run-off Increased pressure on coping
and variability leads to greater strategies and social protection •Lower capacity to recover
water stress. measures from climatic and non-climatic
shocks and stresses
Reduced ability to recover due to
Increased incidence or intensity of increased frequency of climatic Source: Department for International
climate related extremes such as shocks or increased intensity of Development, DFID, 2004.
water stress. climatic stresses. www.dfid.gov.uk
Climate Adaptation
Online Training Resource