A Method for Constructing a Social Vulnerability Index: An Application to Hurricane Storm Surges in a Developed Country

An important goal of vulnerability assessment is to create an index of overall vulnerability from a suite of indicators. Constructing a vulnerability index raises several problems in the aggregation of these indicators, including the decision of assigning weights to them. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a method of aggregating vulnerability indicators that results in a composite index of vulnerability, but that avoids the problems associated with assigning weights. The investigators apply a technique based on Pareto ranking to a complex, developed socioeconomic landscape exposed to storm surges associated with hurricanes. Indicators of social vulnerability to this hazard are developed and a principal components analysis is performed on proxies for these indicators. Overall social vulnerability is calculated by applying Pareto ranking to these principal components. The paper concludes that it is possible to construct an effective index of vulnerability without weighting the individual vulnerability indicators.     

Combining hazard,exposure and social vulnerability to provide lessons for flood risk management

Flood risk assessments provide inputs for the evaluation of flood risk management (FRM) strategies. Traditionally, such risk assessments provide estimates of loss of life and economic damage. However, the effect of policy measures aimed at reducing risk also depends on the capacity of households to adapt and respond to floods, which in turn largely depends on their social vulnerability. This study shows how a joint assessment of hazard, exposure and social vulnerability provides valuable information for the evaluation of FRM strategies. The adopted methodology uses data on hazard and exposure combined with a social vulnerability index. The relevance of this state-of-the-art approach taken is exemplified in a case-study of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The results show that not only a substantial share of the population can be defined as socially vulnerable, but also that the population is very heterogeneous, which is often ignored in traditional flood risk management studies. It is concluded that FRM measures, such as individual mitigation, evacuation or flood insurance coverage should not be applied homogenously across large areas, but instead should be tailored to local characteristics based on the socioeconomic characteristics of individual households and neighborhoods.     

基于RS和GIS的峨眉山风景区生态风险评价

风景区的生态风险评价有助于指导其村镇建设、产业发展和实现绿色生态可持续发展.为探究峨眉山风景区生态风险分布和主要影响因素,在RS(Remote Sensing,遥感)和GIS(Geographic Information System,地理信息系统)技术支持下,以2015年土地覆盖数据为基础,结合DEM、遥感影像数据,从自然灾害和人类干扰两方面分析生态风险,依据生态风险度量原理,通过计算风险发生概率和生态易损性求得生态风险值,利用克里金插值法求得峨眉山风景区生态风险空间分布.结果表明:①峨眉山风景区综合生态风险值较小,主要受自然灾害影响,其贡献率高达89.9%;人类干扰带来的影响也不可忽视,贡献率为10.1%.自然灾害中,干旱、地质灾害对风景区的影响较大,贡献率分别为40.9%、49.3%.②峨眉山风景区综合生态风险呈条带状分布,越往东综合生态风险值越大,自然灾害风险空间分布与其基本一致.综合生态风险高风险区聚集在万年寺、清音阁、神水阁景区,景区东部黄湾乡旅游镇属于人文风险高风险区.研究显示,峨眉山风景区综合生态风险主要受到自然灾害影响,存在带状分异的空间规律.      

宝鸡市主要农作物冰雹灾害风险评估

冰雹灾害是宝鸡市面临的主要农业气象灾害之一,采用宝鸡市2016年的Landsat TM遥感影像,经过遥感解译得到宝鸡市主要农作物的空间分布图。根据宝鸡市1961 — 2016年55 a的降雹记录和防雹炮点分布资料,计算得到区域降雹强度、降雹频次和防雹能力值,以灾损数据确定主要农作物的承灾体敏感性指数。基于致灾因子危险性、承灾体暴露度及脆弱性三要素,采用综合评价法和自然间断分类法得出宝鸡市主要农作物的冰雹灾害风险分布图。结果表明:宝鸡市主要农作物的冰雹灾害风险等级以中级风险为主,占全部风险等级的43.5%,主要分布于千阳、凤县、岐山、扶风等地;次高风险区占25.2%,主要分布在陈仓及扶风;次低风险区占18.7%,分布于金台、眉县及太白零星散区;高风险区占9.8%,全部集中于陇县和麟游;低风险区占比最少,为2.8%,零星分布于凤县和扶风。应加强对冰雹灾害高风险区的防爆能力建设,调整防雹点分布和作物种植。     

黄河流域生态环境脆弱性评价、空间分析及预测

生态环境脆弱性是制约经济可持续、高质量发展的重要因素。以2005—2018年黄河流域73个城市为研究对象,构建了黄河流域生态环境脆弱性的评价指标体系,采用主成分分析计算了黄河流域生态环境脆弱指数,并依据自然断点法将评价结果分为极度脆弱、重度脆弱、中度脆弱、轻度脆弱、微度脆弱五类。进一步通过空间相关分析揭示了黄河流域生态环境脆弱性的时空演变特征,并利用CA-Markov模型对黄河流域2025年生态环境脆弱性进行了预测。结果表明：（1）黄河上、中、下游生态环境脆弱性分别表现“低—中—高”的分布特征,且生态环境脆弱性变化趋势存在区别：上游虽差异较大但波动相似,中游波动方向相反,下游在2016年之后整体呈下降趋势。（2）黄河流域生态环境脆弱性存在空间相关性,上游呈现低—低聚集,下游呈现高—高聚集,中游空间相关性不显著。（3）预测2025年黄河流域中游地区重度脆弱有所扩张,下游地区极度脆弱向中心区域明显收缩。黄河流域生态环境的治理与保护并非一朝一夕之事,也并非某一流域单独能够完成的,黄河上、中、下游要根据不同的自然条件制定与之相适宜、符合整体发展需要的治理与保护措施。     

巴里坤-伊吾盆地平原区地下水污染风险评价

开展地下水污染风险评价研究是地下水污染防控的重要环节.以巴里坤-伊吾盆地平原区地下水为研究对象,构建DRSTIW模型进行地下水脆弱性评价;根据污染场地调查资料和土地利用类型划分点源和面源污染,进行地下水污染荷载评价;考虑地下水的原生价值、经济价值和生态价值进行地下水功能价值评价;利用ArcGIS的地图代数功能生成地下水污染风险评价图,采用ROC曲线验证地下水污染风险评价结果,通过计算G指数得到地下水污染风险空间冷热点分布,结合重心和标准差椭圆对热点变动情况进行定量分析.结果表明,研究区地下水污染风险整体较低,高污染风险区和较高污染风险区仅占研究区总面积的6.8%,主要位于伊吾县的淖毛湖镇、盐池镇,巴里坤县的奎苏镇、石人子乡、花园乡和兵团红山农场,该区域内地下水埋深较浅,土壤表层和包气带介质透水性能较强,吸附能力较差,加之污染源分布较集中,使得污染物易于迁移富集,在地下水高脆弱性和高污染荷载的双重作用下导致局部区域地下水污染风险升高.受人类活动影响,地下水污染风险在空间上存在一定的集聚现象,整体表现为由西北向东南演变的趋势.地下水污染风险评价结果为划分地下水污染防治区提供重要参考.     

城市经济脆弱性评价研究——以北京海淀区为例

经济脆弱性评价是风险评估的重要步骤和制定有效防灾减灾规划的前提条件,是应急管理和灾后恢复重建的重要依据。为了能够反映区域内部经济脆弱性空间差异,为政府防灾减灾、应急管理以及灾后恢复重建提供有效依据,论文选择了城市街区尺度对经济脆弱性进行研究,提出了一个微观尺度的经济脆弱性评估模型,该模型综合考虑了企业属性、产业易损性、产业重要性、街区经济密度,并对经济脆弱性及各影响因素进行了空间研究。利用该模型对2010 年北京市海淀区的经济脆弱性进行了案例研究,结果显示：总体而言,海淀区经济脆弱性较低,647 个街区中有103 个街区经济脆弱性较高,虽然脆弱街区数量比例较高,达15.9%,但所占面积较小,仅占海淀区面积的4.91%;进行了经济脆弱性集聚区和热点地区分析,结果显示脆弱性地区同时是地区主导和支柱产业集聚地区,在应急管理和日常风险管理中应该对这些地区予以重点关注。     

贫困退出背景下返贫脆弱性评价——融合区域与个体的新视角

精准识别返贫脆弱性,预防和化解返贫风险是“后扶贫时代”的工作重点。基于区域与个体尺度融合的新视角,运用BP神经网络法、熵值法和偏相关分析法对六盘山、秦巴山和大别山三大集中连片特困区进行返贫脆弱性评价与影响因素分析。研究发现：（1）三大集中连片特困区返贫脆弱度大致呈现由西向东递减的空间格局;（2）三个典型县区域和个体返贫脆弱性评价结果均显示古浪县>新县>栾川县;（3）高返贫风险县域中,高生态暴露度特征最为显著,而高返贫风险家庭中,生计动力不足特征最为明显;（4）区域返贫脆弱性主导因子为自然环境禀赋和经济发展水平,个体返贫脆弱性主导因子则为家庭劳动力综合素质、家庭收入、生计来源多样性、家庭成员健康状况和婚姻成本等。     

上海市环境污染事故风险受体脆弱性评价研究

从环境风险受体敏感性和适应力两方面构建了脆弱性概念模型,在此基础上,考虑社会经济脆弱性和生态系统脆弱性,选取14个指标构建了上海市环境污染事故风险受体综合脆弱性评价指标体系.研究结果表明：上海市中心城区社会脆弱性较高,而崇明岛、南汇、奉贤的社会经济脆弱性最低;黄浦江上游水源保护区、崇明岛东滩湿地生态系统脆弱性较高,浦东...     

大尺度生态干扰风险评估技术方法及应用研究

为实现大尺度生态干扰高风险区域的快速、有效识别,从生态易损性、干扰易达性和资源易引性三个方面选取了9个指标,构建了生态干扰风险评估指标体系和评估模型,形成了完整的大尺度生态干扰评估技术与方法.利用该技术方法,本文评估分析了全国国土空间生态干扰风险状况、空间分布格局及其成因,并结合2017~2019年全国自然保护区人类活动监测数据和《全国主体功能区规划》中生态脆弱性评价结果对生态干扰风险评估结果进行了精度分析.结果显示：超过90%的自然保护区人类活动都集中在评估得到的中高风险区域;全国生态干扰风险主要以中风险为主、低风险次之、再次是较低风险、较高和高风险区域面积最少;其中较高和高风险区域主要分布在我国中西部和东北部的秦岭、祁连山、三江源和内蒙古草原等区域,生态干扰风险空间分布格局与生态系统结构与功能状况、地形与交通条件、资源潜力等因素具有较强相关性.     

基于物理过程的矿区地下水污染风险评价

目前国内外所做的地下水污染风险评价的实例研究一般都是从地下水的脆弱性研究出发,并未过多地考虑特征污染物对污染后果的影响.脆弱性是环境对污染物的自然敏感性,而地下水污染评价中更应当体现出污染物在地下水中的迁移分布特性.为了完善地下水污染风险评价的理论和方法,以某尾矿区为例提出了基于物理过程的地下水污染风险评价方法,在污染发生之前,根据经济社会的敏感性条件和污染物将来可能的分布范围,事先划分各个污染风险等级在含水层空间上的分布范围,然后据此反推各个风险等级所对应的污染物源强,以此作为地下水污染风险评价等级的划分标准,通过对污染物在包气带和含水层中的运移进行数值模拟来评价尾矿区地下水的污染风险.结果表明,这种基于物理过程的地下水污染风险评价方法可以给出污染物浓度和风险水平在空间和时间上的分布规律,对于单个点状的污染场地来说,具有详尽的风险表征方式,优于以往基于含水层固有脆弱性指数法的风险评价方法,该方法适用于现有污染场地的风险评价、场地优化选址和为场地建设提供设计参数.     

基于多准则决策的长江经济带国土空间脆弱性与恢复力研究

科学评估国土空间脆弱性与恢复力并解释其时空分布特征,能为国土空间开发与保护相关决策提供参考。采用综合指数法和有序加权平均（Ordered Weighted Averaging, OWA）法分别评价和模拟长江经济带市域国土空间脆弱性及国土空间恢复力,并对二者的组合情况进行综合分析。结果表明：（1）2008-2017年间长江经济带国土空间脆弱性指数有明显下降趋势,累计下降率为16.49%,脆弱性指数从西向东逐步下降;（2）长江经济带“生态优先型”“维持现状型”“开发优先型”政策情景下国土空间恢复力分别处于较高（占47.22%）、中等（占35.19%）、低恢复力（占99.07%）水平;（3）长江经济带国土空间以低脆弱性-中等恢复力、低脆弱性-较低恢复力为主导,占30.63%,国土空间整体脆弱性低,恢复力处于较低至中等水平。     

黄土高原地区生态脆弱性时空变化及其驱动因子分析

黄土高原是我国生态系统最脆弱的地区之一,科学评估其生态脆弱性是制定有效环境保护和管理措施的前提.然而,过去研究多关注某一小区域的生态脆弱性,不能反映该地区生态脆弱性的整体特征.基于"暴露-敏感性-适应力"模型框架,结合层次分析、空间主成分分析和地理探测器等方法评估了黄土高原地区2000~2015年生态脆弱性的时空变化特征及其驱动因子.结果表明,黄土高原地区生态脆弱性整体较高,并呈现出从东南到西北递增的趋势,且不同土地利用类型脆弱性差异大;2000~2015年生态脆弱性呈先增后降趋势,整体呈微弱降低趋势,其中约64%地区的脆弱性发生了变化;植被覆盖度和降水是控制生态脆弱性时空变化的主要因子,且所有指标因子间均存在明显的交互作用.说明气候变化和人类活动可能有助于降低黄土高原地区的生态脆弱性,但其作用有限.     

The rains are disappointing us: dynamic vulnerability and adaptation to multiple stressors in the Afram Plains, Ghana

This paper builds on work on the dynamics of vulnerability and multiple stressors through a case study in the Afram Plains of the Eastern region in Ghana. A vulnerability framework is applied in the community of Mimkyemfre to identify and explain the multiple underlying political, socioeconomic and environmental forces that influence the ways in which people are exposed and sensitive to climate, and their capacities to adapt to changing conditions. The results of the study indicate that the community experiences a range of biophysical and socioeconomic conditions that contribute to its vulnerability. Vulnerability was found to change over time and in some cases was cyclical, in that certain actions taken for the purposes of adaptation were found to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. Processes of vulnerability were also found to occur at several scales and were experienced unevenly at the community level. The findings of this assessment have important implications for the design and implementation of successful adaptation initiatives, both in Africa and elsewhere. In particular, they demonstrate the need to understand the social, economic and institutional challenges to development as a basis for any contemplation of adaptation to climate change.     

系统响应气候变化脆弱性定量评价国内研究综述

定量评价气候变化脆弱性是人类采取适应性措施应对全球气候变化,以减少其不利影响的关键和基础。在对气候变化脆弱性有关概念进行讨论,及对国际、国内系统响应气候变化脆弱性评价研究回顾的基础上,对中国近十几来有关气候变化脆弱性定量评价研究的成果从三个方面进行了较为系统的总结：气候情景的模拟预测、系统变化过程的模拟、脆弱性指标的选取及脆弱性层次的划分。最后,从评价对象、技术手段、指标体系、时间尺度等方面探讨了该领域研究的不足及发展方向。     

Exploring the Theoretical Interface of Climate Change and Resource Dependency: Application to the Vulnerability of Boreal Forest Regions

This paper addresses the combined effects of two sources of disturbance on the boreal forest – climate change and the economic relations of industrial forestry. It describes a theoretical blueprint constructed of concepts from the theory of dissipative structures (derived from the discipline of physical chemistry) and world-systems theory (derived from the discipline of sociology) into a proposed integrated theory pivoting on the concept of social vulnerability. The goal is to examine the key concepts of this theory – vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacity – as elements of the complex systems perspective provided by dissipative structure principles. The focus on social vulnerability provides the means to establish the role of external economic linkages relevant to industrial forestry – the core/periphery relations of the world-system – as they influence the social vulnerability of the boreal forest SESs. These systems are posited as embedded peripheries, following world-system criteria, and as the focal scale of analysis within a larger hierarchically organized dissipative structure. The goal is to suggest and stimulate ideas for further discussion and exploration, motivated by the premise that any successful climate change mitigation efforts depend on having sound theoretical foundations on which to stand.     

张家口地区生态脆弱性及其影响因素

生态脆弱性是国际社会面对一系列生态问题时无法回避的重点议题,也是生态文明建设与绿色发展研究的热点之一。基于SRP模型,以张家口地区为研究区域,选取14项指标构建张家口地区生态脆弱性评价指标体系,把主成分分析法和地理探测器结合起来,进行张家口地区生态脆弱度以及主要影响因素研究。结果表明：2008—2016年间,张家口地区生态脆弱性明显下降,2008年、2012年和2016年轻度脆弱面积占比分别为27.24%、29.54%和35.57%,生态系统结构与功能正在向良性方向发展;研究区域内生态脆弱性空间分布差异主要与坡度、干旱指数、植被覆盖度和气温等因素的变化有关。基于评价结果,对张家口市生态治理与绿色发展提出建议。     

聚类分析法在贵州省雷电灾害易损性区划中的应用

采用R型聚类分析法对尽可能多的影响雷灾易损性的因子进行了筛选,确定100 k A以上平均地闪次数、地闪密度、雷电灾害频度、生命易损模数、区域生命易损模数5个因子为依据变量,用欧氏距离计算各样本的相似性测度,应用Q型聚类中的Ward’s法进行层次聚类分析,采用迭代聚类分析的方法进行相互验证,最后对贵州省雷电灾害易损性区划结果进行解释和证实、绘制雷灾风险区划图,结果表明:贵阳市雷电灾害的易损性最高,属高风险区,安顺市、六盘水市属中等风险区,遵义市、黔南州、黔东南州、铜仁市、毕节市、黔西南州属弱风险区。     

Land use and climate change adaptation strategies in Kenya

Climate variability and change mitigation and adaptation policies need to prioritize land users needs at local level because it is at this level that impact is felt most. In order to address the challenge of socio-economic and unique regional geographical setting, a customized methodological framework was developed for application in assessment of climate change vulnerability perception and adaptation options around the East African region. Indicators of climate change and variability most appropriate for the region were derived from focused discussions involving key informants in various sectors of the economy drawn from three East African countries. Using these indicators, a structured questionnaire was developed from which surveys and interviews were done on selected sample of target population of farming communities in the Mt. Kenya region. The key highlights of the questionnaire were vulnerability and adaptation. Data obtained from respondents was standardized and subjected to multivariate and ANOVA analysis. Based on principle component analysis (PCA), two main vulnerability categories were identified namely the social and the bio-physical vulnerability indicators. Analysis of variance using Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant statistical variation (P ≤ 0.05) in the perceived vulnerability across the spatial distribution of the 198 respondents. Three insights were distinguished and were discernible by agro-ecological zones. Different vulnerability profiles and adaptive capacity profiles were generated demonstrating the need for prioritizing adaptation and mitigation efforts at local level. There was a high correlation between the bio-physical and social factor/livelihood variables that were assessed.