Vulnerability to environmental change

1. Equity and Vulnerability Neil AdgerTyndall Centre for Climate Change Researchand CSERGEUniversity of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

2. Vulnerability is a state (implied negative) which is socially determined and related to susceptibility to stress and harm. It may be function of:Exposureto environmental variability and changeSensitivity – degree to which a system is affected by external changeAdaptive capacity – ability of a system to adjust and take opportunities Vulnerability to environmental change

3. Vulnerability is context and scale specific – we observe the vulnerability OF a particular system or social group TO particular stresses or outcomes Recognising multiple stresses (not exclusively environmental or climate) Vulnerability of whom and to what?

4. Vulnerability depends on exposure to stress and on resilience (both are variable) Resilience of social-natural systems defined as: Amount of change a system can undergo and still retain the same characteristics and controls on function and structure Degree to which a system is capable of self-organisation Ability to build and increase the capacity for learning and adaptation see e.g. Resilience Alliance (www.resalliance.org) Vulnerability and Resilience

5. All elements (stress, resilience and hence vulnerability) are socially and spatially differentiated e.g. Justice and fairness principles in vulnerability Rights approaches vs. ‘situated’ universalism Security as freedom - access and autonomy Equity and vulnerability

6. Distributive Justice How equitable are outcomes? Who wins and who loses? Assessment based on one overarching consequence (e.g. welfare), or principle (e.g. equality), or both Procedural Justice Justice in the processes and institutions that make decisions Includes issues of participation and legitimacy Assessment based on outcome, or principle, or both Justice and fairness are about process as well as outcome

7. e.g. Migration and resilience Source: Locke et al. ‘Changing Places….’ Environment 34(6), 2000

8. Initial stages of migration –– rich migrate and remittances (often food) reinforce inequality and social exclusion When established (lower costs) –– greater participation and migration reduces inequality Migration often an active strategy to reduce vulnerability Vulnerability depends on ability to learn, autonomy and freedom, resource pressure (i.e. social-ecological resilience and equity) Source: Adger et al, ‘Migration, remittances, and social resilience’ Ambio 31(4), 2002. e.g. Migration, equity and vulnerability

9. Vulnerability related to social resilience Vulnerability differentiated by class, gender, age etc. Vulnerability partially determined by distribution and access to resources and decision-making (e.g. in food) Equity and justice in both outcomes and procedures Conclusions