Vulnerability of agro-ecological zones in India under the earth system climate model scenarios

India being a developing economy dependent on climate-sensitive sector like agriculture is highly vulnerable to impacts of global climate change. Vulnerability to climate change, however, differs spatially within the country owing to regional differences in exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The study uses the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2-Earth System (HadGEM-ES) climate projections to assess the dynamics in vulnerability across four climate change exposure scenarios developed using Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The analysis was carried out at subnational (district) level; the results were interpreted and reported for their corresponding agro-ecological zones. Vulnerability of each district was quantified using indicators capturing climatic variability, ecological and demographic sensitivity, and socio-economic capacity. Our analysis further assigns probabilities to vulnerability classes of all the 579 districts falling under different agro-ecological zones. The results of the vulnerability profile show that Western plains, Northern plains, and central highlands of the arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones are the most vulnerable regions in the current scenario (1950–2000). In the future scenario (2050), it extends along districts falling within Deccan plateau and Central (Malwa) highlands, lying in the arid and semi-arid zones, along with regions vulnerable in the current scenario, recording the highest vulnerability score across all exposure scenarios. These regions exhibit highest degree of variation in climatic parameters, ecological fragility, socio-economic marginality, and limited accessibility to resources, generating conditions of high vulnerability. The study emphasizes on the priority to take up adaptive management actions in the identified vulnerable districts to not only reduce risks of climate change, but also enhance their inherent capacity to withstand any future changes in climate. It provides a systematic approach to explicitly identify vulnerable regions, where regional planners and policy makers can build on existing adaptation decision-making by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach in the context of global change scenario.     

Mapping social vulnerability to natural hazards in Italy: A suitable tool for risk mitigation strategies

Italy is one of the European countries that are most heavily exposed to a wide range of natural hazards, which might cause large economic losses. In this context, the assessment of social vulnerability has an important role for evaluating the capacity of a community to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. However there are currently no published studies analysing social vulnerability and its spatial distribution in Italy. Within this framework, this paper aims to apply a proven method for assessing social vulnerability at the national scale, while considering the contribution of the socioeconomic and demographic factors that affect the Italian population. The proposed methodology is based on the Hazard-of-Place Model approach, and uses free and open source software applications (FOSS). Specifically, we selected significant components through Principal Component Analysis and derived their spatial distribution. Using component scores, we derived a social vulnerability index, evaluated its geographic distribution, and performed a cluster analysis on its spatial variation. The analysis identified different spatial patterns across Italy, providing useful information for identifying the communities most likely to experience negative natural disaster impacts due to their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. This research represents an important contribution to improve the potentiality of risk mitigation strategies and in designing risk custom-made policies.     

A framework for assessing vulnerability of inland fisheries to impacts of climate variability in India

In recent years climate variability has threatened the sustainability of inland fisheries and dependent fishers in India. Systematic methodology to assess the vulnerability of the fisheries sector to climate variability is currently not available. Towards this end, the present work deals with the assessment of inland fisheries vulnerability to climate variations in 13 districts of West Bengal state in India. For this purpose, a composite vulnerability index (0.0–1.0) has been developed on the basis of functional relationships amongst sensitivity, exposure and adaptive capacity using 19 indicators related to inland fisheries. The data obtained reflected different spatial combinations of climate exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity among the districts. Five districts were highly vulnerable which was attributable to low adaptive capacity of the fishers which played an important role in altering the spatial pattern of vulnerability among the districts. Thus our research will provided an important basis for policy makers to develop appropriate adaptation strategies to minimize the risk of fisheries sector to climate variability.     

A multi-criteria geographic information systems approach for the measurement of vulnerability to climate change

A flexible procedure for the development of a multi-criteria composite index to measure relative vulnerability under future climate change scenarios is presented. The composite index is developed using the Weighted Ordered Weighted Average (WOWA) aggregation technique which enables the selection of different levels of trade-off, which controls the degree to which indicators are able to average out others. We explore this approach in an illustrative case study of the United States (US), using future projections of widely available indicators quantifying flood vulnerability under two scenarios of climate change. The results are mapped for two future time intervals for each climate scenario, highlighting areas that may exhibit higher future vulnerability to flooding events. Based on a Monte Carlo robustness analysis, we find that the WOWA aggregation technique can provide a more flexible and potentially robust option for the construction of vulnerability indices than traditionally used approaches such as Weighted Linear Combinations (WLC). This information was used to develop a proof-of-concept vulnerability assessment to climate change impacts for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Lessons learned in this study informed the climate change screening analysis currently under way.     

中国县域单元生态脆弱性时空变化研究

以中国2853个县(市、旗、区)为研究单元,以1980、1990、2000和2010年全国1 km格网土地利用数据和中国县级行政单元社会经济统计数据为基础,通过VSD模型,构建了基于自然和人为共同作用下的生态系统影响力指数和社会经济适应力指数,用以综合表达生态脆弱性空间分异,在此基础上对中国县域单元的生态脆弱性进行定量评价.结果表明:中国县域生态系统影响力指数持续降低,2000年之前呈现由"东北到西南"逐渐降低的趋势,2000年之后,基本呈现"中东部及新疆北部高、西南低"的格局.适应力指数空间分布差异十分明显,表现出东南沿海高于中部,中部又高于西部的格局.从生态系统脆弱性空间分布格局来看,东南部比西部地区更脆弱,从时间变化来看,中国生态脆弱度整体好转,局部恶化;从数量变化来看,1983个县域单元处于高度脆弱区和极度脆弱区,仅有327个县域单元于处于轻度和微度脆弱区.处于极度脆弱区和高度脆弱区的县域单元未来要合理规划土地利用,加强土地利用管理,调整用地布局并严格控制城镇规模扩张;对于轻度和微度脆弱区则应坚持以生态建设和环境保护为主,禁止污染型产业发展,有序引导人口转移,发展生态旅游业和高技术产业.     

Assessing agricultural systems vulnerability to climate change to inform adaptation planning: an application in Khorezm,Uzbekistan

Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change. The current vulnerability assessments through traditional fragmented sectoral methods are insufficient to capture the effects on complex agricultural systems. Therefore, the traditional methods need to be replaced by integrated approaches. The objective of this study is to propose a holistic vulnerability assessment method for agricultural systems. By aggregating both agro-ecological and socio-economic information, we develop an agricultural systems vulnerability index (ASVI) which allows for (i) a classification of geographical units according to their vulnerability level, (ii) an identification of key determinants of vulnerability for each unit and (iii) an assessment of adaptation policy scenarios considering their effects on the sustainability of the analysed systems. The proposed method is applied in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan—a representative irrigated agricultural region in the lower Amu Darya river basin. A decision support tool is used to facilitate multi-criteria decision analysis, including the computation of the index and performing sensitivity analysis of the results. The assessment for Khorezm reveals significant spatial differences of vulnerability levels due to a variation of contributing factors, e.g. natural resources, water productivity, rural-urban ratio. It reveals also that feasible land and water management policies could reduce the vulnerability in Khorezm, particularly in the districts with the poorest agro-ecological conditions. Overall, the proposed method could support national and local authorities in the identification of sustainable adaptation policies for the agriculture sector.     

Implications of indicator aggregation methods for global change vulnerability reduction efforts

Composite indices are used to assess and prioritize mitigation and adaptation strategies for addressing the impacts of global environmental change. We evaluate different aggregation tools for creating these indices and their potential effects on mitigation and adaptation efforts. We assess the association of each aggregation tool with different types of trade-offs, risk strategies, and the resulting spatial and statistical distribution of their composite scores. Four aggregation tools are investigated (Weighted Linear Combination, WLC; Ordered Weighted Average, OWA; Data Envelopment Analysis, DEA; Compromise Programming, CP) using an example of vulnerability to flooding in the eastern United States. The choice of aggregation tool affects vulnerability outcomes, decision risk strategies, and the prioritization of vulnerability reduction strategies. DEA produces the highest vulnerability scores, representing a risk averse strategy associated with pessimistic outcomes. WLC implies a neutral and fixed risk strategy. CP produces a range of outcomes from neutral (equivalent to the WLC) to pessimistic, depending on its parameters. OWA offers the highest flexibility to adjust the levels of trade-off and risk strategy, producing a range of vulnerability outcomes, from optimistic to pessimistic. The units of analysis, when prioritized across the different aggregation tools, are more consistent for the top ranked units. However, the differences in rank become substantial as the selection threshold score decreases. To obtain better informed vulnerability reduction strategies, we recommend to (i) address how trade-off and decision risk are embedded in the aggregation tool chosen, and (ii) evaluate their effect in the prioritization of mitigation and adaptation strategies being considered.     

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VSD模型的区域生态系统脆弱性评价——以广西西江经济带为例

生态系统脆弱性受到自然与人文因素双重影响。以广西西江经济带为例,采用VSD模型,通过暴露度、敏感性和适应能力分解脆弱性,构建包含自然和人为因素25 个指标的评价体系,开展脆弱性评价与分区。结果表明,不脆弱区、一般区、脆弱区、很脆弱区和极脆弱区分别占11.31%、22.63%、27.60%、24.39%和14.07%,东西部地区脆弱性较高,中部地区脆弱性较低;自然因素导致的脆弱区主要分布于东西部山区,人为因素主导的脆弱区分布于中部盆地的城镇及其周边;经济带约53%的建设用地分布于很脆弱区和脆弱区,未来新增建设用地需要重点向不脆弱区和一般区转移。根据分区结果和诱因差异,提出了不同类型区开发与保护的相关建议。     

Assessment of inherent vulnerability of forests at landscape level: a case study from Western Ghats in India

Assessment of vulnerability is an important step in building long-term resilience in the forestry sector. The objective of this paper is to present a methodological approach to assess inherent vulnerability of forests at landscape level. The approach involves use of vulnerability indicators, the pairwise comparison method, and geographic information system (GIS) tools. We apply this approach to assess the inherent vulnerability of forests of the Western Ghats Karnataka (WGK) landscape, which is a part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India. Four vulnerability indicators, namely biological richness, disturbance index, canopy cover, and slope, are selected. We find that forests in 30, 36, 19, and 15 % grid points in this region show low, medium, high, and very high inherent vulnerability, respectively. The forest showing high and very high inherent vulnerability are mostly dry deciduous forests and plantations located largely on the eastern side of the landscape. We also find that canopy cover is one of the key indicators that determine the inherent vulnerability of forests, and natural forests are inherently less vulnerable than man-made plantations. Spatial assessment of inherent vulnerability of forests at landscape level is particularly useful for developing strategies to build resilience to current stressors and climate change in future.     

The vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change: Part II—Integrating impacts with adaptive capacity

In the first paper in this series [Nelson, R., Kokic, P., Crimp, S., Martin, P., Meinke, H., Howden, S.M. (2010, this issue)], we concluded that hazard/impact modelling needs to be integrated with holistic measures of adaptive capacity in order to provide policy-relevant insights into the multiple and emergent dimensions of vulnerability. In this paper, we combine hazard/impact modelling with an holistic measure of adaptive capacity to analyse the vulnerability of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change. Bioeconomic modelling was used to model the exposure and sensitivity of Australian rural communities to climate variability and change. Rural livelihoods analysis was used as a conceptual framework to construct a composite index of adaptive capacity using farm survey data. We then show how this integrated measure of vulnerability provides policy-relevant insights into the constraints and options for building adaptive capacity in rural communities. In the process, we show that relying on hazard/impact modelling alone can lead to entirely erroneous conclusions about the vulnerability of rural communities, with potential to significantly misdirect policy intervention. We provide a preliminary assessment of which Australian rural communities are vulnerable to climate variability and change, and reveal a complex set of interacting environmental, economic and social factors contributing to vulnerability.     

基于RS与GIS的长江三角洲生态环境脆弱性综合评价

使用空间主成分分析法构建评价指标体系,采用层次分析法确定指标权重,结合遥感数据与地理信息系统软件,对长江三角洲生态环境脆弱性进行了综合评价,并对脆弱性成因进行了分析. 结果表明,长江三角洲生态环境极度和重度脆弱区主要分布在其中部的太湖流域和浙江中西部,占整个研究区的20.10%;轻度和中度脆弱区遍布于整个研究区,占55.25%;微度脆弱区主要分布在江苏北部和浙江东部,占24.65%. 总体来看,长江三角洲大部分区域的生态环境属轻度和中度脆弱. 影响长江三角洲生态环境脆弱性的自然因素有≥35 ℃日数、旱涝分布、海拔高度、归一化植被指数（NDVI）年累加值、景观多样性指数和土壤侵蚀强度;人为因素有人均耕地面积、人均水资源、人均废水排放量、人均废气排放量、化肥施用强度、土地利用变化、“三废”综合利用产品产值、人口密度和GDP. 极度和重度脆弱区生态环境的主要特征是自然灾害发生频率大、资源匮乏、污染强度大、土壤侵蚀严重和生物多样性低.      

Climate vulnerability index - measure of climate change vulnerability to communities: a case of rural Lower Himalaya,India

Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) is being proposed to assess climate change vulnerability of communities with a case study. The index consists of household parameters of all the three dimensions of vulnerability such as Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive Capability. Exposure is defined by ‘Natural disaster and Climate variability’, however Sensitivity by ‘Health’, Food’, and ‘Water’ and Adaptive Capability by ‘Socio-demographic profile’, ‘Livelihood strategies’, and ‘Social networks’. Respective parameters were based on the peers and literature. The CVI vulnerable status ranges from high (0) to low (1). Household questionnaire survey was undertaken from two regions namely, near to district (NDH) and away to district (ADH), in Srinagar, Uttrakhand, India. Data for desired parameters for CVI was collected from 50 randomly selected households. Data were aggregated using a composite index and differential vulnerabilities were compared. High vulnerability was observed for livelihood strategies, food and natural disaster for ADH households, and health and water for NDH households. It was found that the adaptive capability and sensitivity of ADH households was higher than NDH, however, exposure realization was similar in both the regions. The CVI was 0.69 and 0.64 for NDH and ADH, respectively, suggests high vulnerability to NDH households. This pragmatic CVI approach may be used to assess and monitor vulnerability under various stress condition, and/or evaluate potential program/ policy effectiveness in various data-scarce regions by comparing various anticipated scenarios with baseline. Further, the result obtained by index may have implications for developing adaptation or coping strategies to the region.     

Evaluation of the implementation of best available techniques in IPPC context: an environmental performance indicators approach

In this paper an integrated methodological approach is presented for the evaluation of the implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in facilities operated under Integrated Prevention Pollution and Control (IPPC) Directive, based on the development and application of a set of sub-indices. An aggregated form of sub-indices that could be used as a composite IPPC facility index is proposed. A sector specific index can be derived from facilities composite indices.This approach uses environmental performance data from European Polluting Emissions Register (EPER) reports, environmental permits and BAT Reference Documents, and gives a coherent and interesting picture of the degree of BAT implementation and an indication of IPPC obligations fulfilment.A specific application is demonstrated concerning the paper manufacturing sector in Greece. It is concluded for this sector that there is a measurable discrepancy from the BAT fulfilment obligations and that the most problematic sub-indices are the “Releases to Water” and “Releases to Air”.     

面向保护对象的地貌脆弱性评价——以海州湾国家海洋公园为例

海洋是个复杂的生态系统,快速有效识别海洋保护区保护对象的现状稳定性和受损情况是开展保护和恢复工作的基础。以海州湾保护区为例,根据其重点保护的海岛海岸地貌的自然特征,构建了基于赋存特征、影响因素、灾害背景和人工干预的4类13个指标的地貌类型保护对象脆弱性评价指标体系。参考国内外已有研究,综合确定各指标等级判定标准。评价结果显示,秦山岛、竹岛、龙汪河口沙咀、连岛北侧沙滩的脆弱性综合指数分别为0.58、0.62、0.48、0.58,脆弱性等级分别属于相对稳定、稳定、相对稳定、相对稳定,较为客观反映了各个保护对象的现状。构建的地貌类型保护对象的评价模型和指标判定标准可应用于海洋特殊地貌景观的保护与管理。     

长江中下游区域生态系统对极端降水的脆弱性评估研究

气候变化背景下,极端气候事件对生态系统的影响更甚于气候平均态的变化,对极端气候事件的影响评估及机理研究有更为重要的现实意义。研究以极端降水为例,选择我国旱涝频繁的长江中下游地区为研究对象,基于生态系统过程模型的动态模拟,选择与极端降水显著相关的生态系统功能特征量,根据IPCC脆弱性的定义,以生态系统功能特征量偏离多年平均状况的程度及其变化趋势分别定义系统对极端降水的敏感性和适应性,从而评估其脆弱性。研究表明,长江中下游地区生态系统多年平均脆弱度为轻度脆弱,轻度脆弱及以下地区占区域总面积的大半,约65%,脆弱度较高的区域占20%,主要分布在长江中下游的西北部。极端降水会增加长江中下游区域生态系统的脆弱度,多表现为不脆弱转变为轻度脆弱,中度脆弱及以上的生态系统所占比例变化不大。干旱和洪涝对区域内生态系统脆弱度的分布格局影响不大,但干旱的影响程度高于洪涝。不论是干旱还是洪涝,区域内生态系统的脆弱度在灾害过后的下一个生长季能基本恢复,没有连年灾害的情况下,长江中下游区域的旱涝灾害对生态系统的影响不会持续到下一年度。     

城市生态资源定量评估

城市生态资源定量评估对区域可持续发展具有重要意义. 以城市特色明显的深圳为例,在分析其生态系统特征基础上,提出了深圳市生态资源测算指标体系和分级标准. 该指标体系包括植被覆盖指数、水面覆盖指数、建设用地指数、未利用地指数和污染物排放指数五大类二级指标,以及林地等17个三级指标. 运用所构建的指标体系对深圳市2007年生态资源状况进行了评估,结果表明,罗湖、盐田、龙岗3个区生态资源优秀,福田、宝安、光明3个区生态资源良好,南山生态资源中等,全市生态资源总体表现良好. 该研究结果与深圳市资源环境实际状况基本一致.      

基于信息筛选和拉依达准则识别地下水主要组分水化学异常的方法研究

地下水水化学组分的异常值识别是获取水化学背景值的重要的一环,以往提出的基于水化学各组分内在联系的计算背景值的水化学图法及Durov图法在柳江盆地的研究中均取得了良好的效果,但是水化学图法的计算步骤繁多,过程复杂,对采样精度要求严格.因此,为简化计算过程,快速识别异常,本文借鉴英国地调局识别异常的方法,以沙颍河流域为研究区,针对该区浅层地下水水质资料,利用信息筛选法替代水化学图法,对研究区内水化学主要组分进行异常识别,并将不同识别方法的识别效果进行对比分析.结果表明,尽管存在两种方法单独识别出的异常数据较多,但是水化学图法+拉依达准则和信息筛选法+拉依达准则对地下水主要组分的异常识别效果均较好,异常识别后的剩余数据的阈值范围较为一致,信息筛选法能够在大尺度区域内精度较低条件下,有效地替代水化学图法快速识别出异常值.     

基于山江海视角与SRP模型的桂西南-北部湾生态环境脆弱性评价

为揭示桂西南喀斯特-北部湾海岸带生态环境脆弱性,本研究基于山江海视角,采用生态敏感度-生态恢复力-生态压力度(SRP)模型、无纲量化模型、层次分析法,结合生态环境脆弱性指数,对该区域进行了生态环境脆弱性的评价,为该区域的生态环境治理和恢复提供科学的理论基础和技术指导.结果表明:(1)2000～2018年三期生态环境脆弱...