Balancing dimensions of vulnerability, coping ability and adaptive capacity for realising social justice in climate change adaptation policy
Abstract
Natural hazard events cause huge economic damage and social disruption in our society. Their impacts on natural and human systems are manifest world-wide (Field et al. 2014) and will likely increase (see the IPCC AR5 report). Impacts not just result from the frequency and magnitude of natural hazard events and increasing exposure of buildings or infrastructure, but also from the vulnerability and resilience of residents and businesses (Parry et al. 2007, Fuchs et al. 2017). However, the indicators and methods used in natural hazard management commonly overlook who actually lives and conducts commerce in the areas at risk. In contrast, international strategies concerned with adaptation to climate-induced hazards call for the integration of social equality issues into risk management practice (UN Sustainable Development Goals, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, European Floods Directive). Hazard-related risks, resources and capacities arising from individual livelihoods are not equally distributed among all members of society, but follow the borders of social stratification (Cutter et al. 2003, Tierney 2014, Parsons et al. 2016). However, while the basic notion of giving special consideration to those who are most vulnerable seems equivocally accepted across all Austrian governance levels (Balas et al. 2011, Thaler & Hartmann 2016), its implementation in policy practice suffers from a lack of dedicated policies and from a vague understanding which individual characteristics are constitutive for vulnerability. JustFair strives to close this gap.
Soziale Gerechtigkeit Vulnerabilität Politische Geographie Klimaanpassung
Publikationen
Mitarbeiter*innen
Thomas Thaler
Priv.-Doz. MMag. Thomas Thaler Ph.D.
thomas.thaler@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85412
Projektleiter*in
01.06.2018 - 31.03.2021
BOKU Partner
Externe Partner
Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
keiner
Koordinator
Fresh Thoughts Consulting
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Partner