Transcript Slide 1
Understanding vulnerability in your area Sarah Lindley, University of Manchester Sept 13th 2012 Vulnerability Vulnerability is a matter of how external stresses impact on well-being. An individual or group is of greater vulnerability if they are less able to respond to stresses placed on wellbeing. The central question: how is vulnerability distributed across different individuals and groups? However, the characterisation of vulnerability raises a number of prior questions: 1. 2. How should well-being be conceptualised and measured? What factors are relevant to understanding how external stresses convert into changes in well-being? Socio-spatial vulnerability Incorporates space and time with personal, social and environmental conversion factors Geographical expression of the potential for an event to convert into the loss of wellbeing Each of five dimensions reveals a different picture and requires different actions Ability to prepare Ability to respond Adaptive capacity Sensitivity Exposure (Enhanced) Ability to recover Vulnerability But understanding related climate disadvantage requires consideration of the potential for contact with a flood or heat-related event too Exposure Climate disadvantage Hazard Socio-spatial heat vulnerability domains Dimension Domain Example explanation Sensitivity: Biophysical Age Old and young are more physically susceptible to harm characteristics Health Those with pre-existing illnesses are more susceptible Exposure: Physical Physical environment Amount of green or blue space; availability of gardens neighbourhood attributes Physical geography Physical location (e.g. elevation) Housing characteristics Type of building (high-rise dwellings) Preparation: Taking Income Ability to obtain technical solutions (e.g. air conditioning) precautions Tenure Ability to modify living environments Information use Ability to use/access information Response: Avoiding heat Income Ability to use technical and other solutions stress during an event Information use Language and education affecting the ability to respond to warnings Social networks Availability of personal or community networks Mobility Availability of personal/household mobility Crime Ability to deploy adaptive measure, e.g. open windows General accessibility General neighbourhood accessibility Recovery: Recovering from Information use Ability to understand what help is available and what to do heat stress if it occurs Social networks Availability of personal/community networks Mobility General mobility/disability Service access Availability of GPs Socio-spatial flood vulnerability domains Dimension Domain Example explanation Sensitivity: Biophysical characteristics Age Old and young are more physically susceptible Health Those with pre-existing illnesses are more susceptible Exposure: Physical neighbourhood Physical environment Amount of green or blue space; availability of gardens attributes Housing characteristics Type of building (basement and street-level dwellings) Preparation: Taking precautions Income Ability to obtain technical solutions (e.g. floodgates) Tenure Ability to modify living environments Information use Ability to use/access information Local knowledge Personal or community knowledge of past events in the area Insurance Likelihood of insurance being available Income Ability to use technical and other solutions Information use Language & education affecting the response to warnings Local knowledge Personal or community knowledge of past events in the area Insurance Likelihood of insurance being available Social networks Availability of personal or community networks Mobility Availability of personal/household mobility Crime Ability to deploy adaptive measure, e.g. floodgates General accessibility General neighbourhood accessibility Recovery: Recovering from a flood Income Ability to replace lost goods, find temporary accommodation event Information use Ability to understand what help is available & what to do Insurance Ability to claim for damages and re-insure Social networks Availability of personal/community networks Mobility General mobility/disability Response: Avoiding losses Socio-spatial flood vulnerability in Scotland Overall, most extremely socially vulnerable locations are urban and there is a strong coastal component. Dimensions of socio-spatial flood vulnerability in Scotland Case study A –flood vulnerability Individual indicators highlight the drivers of vulnerability relative to the average Scottish neighbourhood •Higher than average Sensitivity •Above average % >75 and ill-health •Higher than average enhanced exposure •more urban but just below average proportion of basement dwellings •Lower than average adaptive capacity •Fewer resources larger % HHs income deprived •Lack of control over home environment, around 48% social renters •Slightly > average % of newcomers •Possible insurance access higher % land area affected by historical flood events* •> average % lone parents with dependent children •Low private transport access but greater workplace proximity & less use of public transport * limitations apply in the historical flood event data Case study B – flood vulnerability Individual indicators highlight the drivers of vulnerability relative to the average Scottish neighbourhood •Higher than average Sensitivity •Above average % young children & ill-health •Higher than average enhanced exposure •Similar to previous example •Lower adaptive capacity •Fewer resources much larger % HHs income deprived •Lack of control over home environment, around 74% social renters •Slightly < average % of newcomers, less transience •Possible insurance access higher % land area affected by historical flood events* •3 times % lone parents with dependent children •Double % disabled •Low mobility (73% no car/van) and high reliance on public transport for work (31%) * limitations apply in the historical flood event data Key findings Key socially vulnerable groups can be identified: Poverty and deprivation Strongly related to IMD New residents Mobility and access Sensitivity Enhanced exposure Evidence of joint sociospatial vulnerabilities in the UK – up to 2/3 of the top 10% most socially vulnerable neighbourhoods were so for flood & heat Flood disadvantage Some areas have both high socio spatial vulnerability and high potential for hazardexposure UA/local authority breakdowns Glasgow City 42% Scotland’s total number of extremely socially flood-vulnerable neighbourhoods & 48% for heat. Almost a third of all neighbourhoods within the city (31% heat; 28% flood). Dundee City (17%), Inverclyde (14%), Moray (14%) and Edinburgh (11%) have the next largest proportions of their total number of neighbourhoods classed as extremely socially flood vulnerable Aberdeen City, North Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire have >=4% of their neighbourhoods in each of the highest and lowest social flood vulnerability classes This is without considering hazard-exposure in these areas Heat disadvantage in Scotland Glasgow’s high average socio-spatial heat vulnerability is coupled with tendency for higher temperatures But There is a differential in the tolerance of high temperatures from place to place Case study – heat vulnerability Individual indicators show vulnerability drivers relative to the average Scottish neighbourhood Higher than average Sensitivity -Above average % <4 and ill-health Higher than average enhanced exposure -Extremely high proportions >5th floor Lower adaptive capacity -Fewer resources considerably larger % HHs income deprived -Potential for social isolation larger than average % of single pensioner HHs, twice % of lone parents with dependent children - very low access to private transport 84% no car/van, personal mobility issues 17% disabled - Health care Benefit from local hospital but slightly above average distance to local GPs Adaptation measures Retrofitting, e.g. shading (louvres, etc.) e.g. flood gates, socket relocation Soft engineering - Increase vegetation/other impervious cover Land use Buildings & housing Defences Adaptation Emergency services Social care Insurance provision Identify areas of transient population information provision Community action Understanding pressure points Building social networks Enhancing mobility Raising awareness of who to help and how Developed in collaboration with Aleks Kazmierczak, 2011