Lunenburg Part 2 - Section 5 - Social Vulnerability - August 30.pdf

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illustrate the relationship of areas of physical risk to climate change impacts (storm surge in this project) and also high social vulnerability; this association suggests situations to address through land use planning that directs people, generally, and socially vulnerable groups in particular, away from hazardous locations. The methods used in this project will also provide an example for other Nova Scotia municipalities to replicate. Methodology and Approach Social Vulnerability to Climate Change Anthropogenic climate change refers to changes in the environment caused mainly by the production of greenhouse gases by humans. The principal impacts are global warming and associated sea level rise and an anticipated increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as storms. Researchers who study natural hazards and major climate shifts have observed that the human impacts of these phenomena are not uniform – instead, certain portions of the population are much more heavily affected than others. This has led to the conclusion that the impact of a natural hazard is not determined by the severity of the hazard alone, but also by a combination of pre-existing physical, social and economic conditions that make people more or less vulnerable to this impact: the complex range of factors that cause social vulnerability in general also determine social vulnerability to climate change. Social vulnerability results in social vulnerability to climate change impacts because it encompasses factors that determine people’s access to resources that can help them to prepare for, withstand, and recover from a natural hazard. These resources may be physical, economic, or social. Examples include good quality housing that can weather a storm; disposable income to spend on emergency supplies or post-event repairs; and social connections with neighbours that could provide assistance in a time of need. While residents and local decision-makers have little control over many of the factors influencing the severity or degree of climate change and its expression as impacts, the effects of climate change may be anticipated, and negative impacts reduced. An assessment of social vulnerability to climate change impacts has the potential to identify populations and areas at greatest risk, so that measures can be taken to reduce that risk - a hazard does not have to become a disaster. Indices of Social Vulnerability Scholars of social vulnerability to natural hazards assert that, since the impacts of natural hazards are the greatest on socially vulnerable people, the best way to reduce overall impacts is to focus climate change adaptation, emergency management planning, and disaster relief on socially vulnerable populations and areas. In order to direct resources to those most in need, planners and decision-makers need to understand who and where these people are. To this end, researchers have developed a variety of methods for assessing social vulnerability. One type of method is the application of an index of social vulnerability. An index of social vulnerability aims to quantify the prevalence of various factors of social vulnerability by geographic area, in order to identify those areas with the highest levels of social vulnerability. The factors considered are usually chosen through one or a combination of two methods: a theoretical grounding in social sciences literature; or observed statistical relationships amongst factors understood to contribute to social vulnerability. By providing a quantifiable measure, an index of social vulnerability allows the comparison of levels of social vulnerability geographically, 2
and over time. This creates a justifiable basis for directing adaptation and emergency management initiatives to those areas in greatest need. Various conceptual bases and methodologies for indices of social vulnerability that inform the conceptual framework of this project are presented in the section that follows. Review of the Methodological Literature of Social Vulnerability Assessment The following brief literature review focuses on the methodology employed in various studies regarding social vulnerability to climate change impacts. Appendix A is an annotated List of References summarizing each of the referenced sources. This review establishes the methodological framework, or approach, for this project and will be useful to other researchers attempting social vulnerability assessment for their communities or regions Dr. Susan Cutter is Director of the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute at the University of South Carolina, and a leading scholar in the field of vulnerability to extreme weather events. Her research focuses on developed nations, particularly the United States. In the mid-1990s, she pioneered the Hazards-of-Place approach to understanding vulnerability to environmental hazards. This approach considers both social and biophysical vulnerability in an integrated framework. In 2003, Dr. Cutter and several colleagues developed the Social Vulnerability Index, or SOVI for application in the United States. 1 Cutter et al. constructed their SOVI using county-level socioeconomic and demographic data, as well as data about the built environment. After choosing indicators of social vulnerability based on social sciences research, they then employed a factor analytic approach – a statistical process known as principal components analysis – to reduce the number of variables in the SOVI to those that account for the greatest proportion of the variance in the data. They then mapped the results to reveal spatial patterns in social vulnerability. The SOVI only considers social vulnerability; Cutter intends the results to be used in conjunction with assessments of biophysical risk to illustrate overall vulnerability. Following Cutter’s development of the SOVI, other researchers have performed assessments of social vulnerability using very similar methodology. For example, Drs. Jean Andrey and Brenda Jones of the Waterloo University Department of Geography and Environmental Management, conducted an assessment of social vulnerability and hazard exposure for Greater Vancouver in 2008. 2 In his 2011 Bachelor of Community Design Honours Thesis, Jonathan Critchley, in partnership with the Halifax Regional Municipality, performed an analysis of social vulnerability to storm surge for the Halifax Harbour, based primarily on Cutter’s methodology. 3 Other researchers have proposed alternative methodologies for constructing an index of social vulnerability. In a 2004 study by Dwyer et al. 4 of Geoscience Australia, the investigators developed a series of qualitative criteria to guide indicator selection, rather than using statistical methods to reduce a large number of variables to those exerting the most statistical influence on data variance. 1 Cutter et al., 2003. 2 Andrey and Jones, 2008. 3 Critchley, 2011. 4 Dwyer et al., 2004. 3
Page 1 and 2: Atlantic Climate Adaptation Solutio
Page 3 and 4: And, thank you to the many resident
Page 5 and 6: The District’s extensive and irre
Page 7 and 8: OAKLAND 61 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FE
Page 9: Introduction Social vulnerability r
Page 13 and 14: also emphasize the need for detaile
Page 15 and 16: Data Interpretation: Analysis For e
Page 17 and 18: maps of equal or superior quality t
Page 19 and 20: person’s employment improves and
Page 21 and 22: as providing valid information. She
Page 23 and 24: communication and collective action
Page 25 and 26: alone are particularly vulnerable i
Page 27 and 28: marginalization, limiting their acc
Page 29 and 30: disability in the event of a natura
Page 31 and 32: The prevalence of low income is a p
Page 33 and 34: Field Observations Travelling throu
Page 35 and 36: Average results for Nova Scotia are
Page 37 and 38: Next, the results from Table 3 are
Page 39 and 40: Figure 4. Social Vulnerability in t
Page 41 and 42: Seniors are more likely than other
Page 43 and 44: Figure 5. Storm Surge Scenarios in
Page 45 and 46: The Petite Riviere Bridge Several b
Page 47 and 48: This may reflect the Very High prop
Page 49 and 50: Table 7. Areas Requiring Attention
Page 51 and 52: Table 9. Areas Requiring Attention
Page 53 and 54: The area’s relatively high popula
Page 55 and 56: A High proportion of residents are
Page 57 and 58: An Average level of residents are s
Page 59 and 60: pharmacies, for medical services. I
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Figure 7: Storm Surge Scenarios wit
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The Plan also addresses the need fo
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A related ICSP strategic goal is to
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While the Economic Development Stra
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Oakland The Oakland Secondary Plann
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to maintain existing conditions and
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patterns and potential dangers (“
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new residents, seasonal residents,
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vulnerabilities for individuals wit
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Two coastal dissemination areas hav
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about this program and use their kn
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Groome, P. (2010). Census Changes H
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Appendix A: Annotated Bibliography
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and analyzed using a Decision Tree
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Dolan, A.H., and I.J. Walker. “Un
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in health care or mitigating socioe
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Appendix B: Table of Indicators and
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No Secondary Education Adger et al.
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Appendix C: Maps of Profile by Indi
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Government Transfer Payments This s
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Children The District has a Below A
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Seniors Living Alone The District h
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No Secondary Education Social vulne
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dissemination areas where no reside
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Visible Minorities The District of
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Appendix D: Radar Diagrams for each
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105
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DA 82 DA 83 Aboriginal Identity Vis
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DA 123 DA 124 Aboriginal Identity V
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DA 160 DA 161 Aboriginal Identity V
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Mahone Bay Food Bank Hospital, Long
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South Shore Big Brothers Big Sister
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