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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Physical Impacts The District’s extensive and irregular coastline, and numerous populated islands, causes high exposure to sea level rise and storm surge. Dissemination areas with the greatest number of residences that could be inundated include dissemination areas 114, 116, 117 and 118; those with the most residences at risk of isolation include dissemination areas 113, 114, 115, 117 and 118. Sea level rise alone may require a choice between costly improvements to infrastructure such as bridges and roads, or the abandonment of certain infrastructure components. Because sea level rise is an incremental process, the District has the opportunity to engage in long term planning in anticipation of its impacts. Storm surge, however, is much less predictable – a very severe storm could occur imminently, or not for many years. While a storm surge would be relatively short in duration, damage to and debris on roads and bridges could cause more lasting disruption to access, leaving emergency services and vehicles bearing essentials such as home heating oil, unable to reach residents; and residents unable to seek outside help or obtain supplies. Damage to power lines resulting in loss of electrical power is another potential impact; this is of particular concern during winter months when many residents would be without home heating. The loss of refrigerated and frozen food would also be a significant hardship for residents with limited financial resources. The cost of repairs to damaged infrastructure could be a substantial burden for the Municipality. Social Vulnerability on the Coast Overall social vulnerability in the District tends to be near or below average for Nova Scotia. The highest social vulnerability amongst coastal dissemination areas occurs in dissemination area 117, which also faces a high risk of impacts from sea level rise and storm surge. However, this area is also recognized for a high degree of community involvement and cohesiveness that can help it to overcome these challenges and meet the needs of socially vulnerable residents. While the remaining dissemination areas have overall social vulnerability that is at or below average for Nova Scotia, the scores for individual indicators provide useful information about each area’s strengths and weaknesses. Indicator scores for low income, unemployment, and reliance on government transfer payments vary widely amongst coastal dissemination areas, and all three conditions may not be present in a single dissemination area. However, any one of these conditions may limit the ability of some coastal residents to invest in measures to prepare for, withstand, and recover from a natural hazard. The District has a large population of seniors, particularly in dissemination areas along the coast. Some of these residents may have a limited ability to understand or act upon warnings about extreme weather events, and are more likely than other residents to require assistance with evacuation in advance of, withstanding, and recovering from a natural hazard. Those living alone – who are also concentrated in coastal areas – are at particular risk in the event of extreme weather. Throughout the District, low levels of education are common. While education rates are higher in many coastal dissemination areas, low education is still a concern in others. While many residents without secondary education have good common-sense knowledge and experience of local weather patterns, some may also have greater difficulty understanding scientific information about natural hazard impacts, or warnings and evacuation orders, particularly if they have limited literacy. 70
Two coastal dissemination areas have significant populations of recent immigrants. While these residents may not be socially vulnerable in other regards, they may be at greater risk in an emergency situation due to a lack of familiarity with local weather patterns, emergency procedures, and sources of assistance, as well as less developed social networks. Education about natural hazards and steps to take in an extreme weather event may reduce their vulnerability. While the proportion of children in the District, particularly in coastal dissemination areas, is relatively low for Nova Scotia, dissemination area 117, which exhibits other features of social vulnerability, has an Above Average proportion of lone parent families. These families may require additional assistance in the event of a natural hazard. Fortunately, few services that socially vulnerable populations rely on are at risk of storm surge inundation. However, both clients and staff living in areas at risk of inundation or isolation may be unable to reach these services. Therefore, interruption in important services at a time of enhanced need is still a possibility. While most of the policy choices that can address the root causes of social vulnerability are the purview of the provincial and federal governments, the District of Lunenburg does have opportunities to reduce some areas of social vulnerability, for example through policy changes to better accommodate the provision of good-quality low-income housing, and addressing the need for public transportation service, which would improve area residents’ access to services – particularly medical services and grocery stores – and employment opportunities. Additionally, the Municipality could play a role in helping communities to adapt to changing social resources. While the District has many strong communities, there is also a significant proportion of new and seasonal residents that may be less integrated in community activities. Many consultees noted that the role played by some historic community organizations, such as church groups, is declining as their membership ages. Communities in the District will need to overcome conservative tendencies in order to accept social change, compensate for these losses, and both accept and promote new forms of community involvement. Reducing Vulnerability Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events; this will be as true for the District of Lunenburg as any other location. Repeat exposure has both negative and positive implications: natural hazards can worsen existing vulnerability, as well as creating new vulnerability; on the other hand, previous experience of extreme weather events can identify areas of increased risk or vulnerability, as well as providing knowledge that can help people to better prepare for adverse impacts. 213 Additionally, those that have experienced a previous natural hazard may be more likely to take hazard risks seriously, and therefore be more willing to participate in risk-reduction measures and respond to warnings. 214 In this sense, the District’s large population of seniors is both a source of vulnerability and a potential driver of resilience. Seniors are more likely to experience sensory, mobility, or cognitive limitations; those that do will require assistance preparing for an extreme weather event, understanding and acting on warnings and evacuation orders, coping during an event, and recovering afterwards. However, many of the District’s seniors will also be an excellent resource for knowledge about local weather patterns, previous extreme weather events, and traditional 213 Enarson and Walsh, 2007. p. 14; Ford et al., 2009. p. 149, 152; Tapsell et al., 2010. p. 11, 17, 59. 214 Tapsell et al., 2010. 71
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 and 10:
Introduction Social vulnerability r
Page 11 and 12:
and over time. This creates a justi
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
Page 61 and 62: Figure 7: Storm Surge Scenarios wit
Page 63 and 64: The Plan also addresses the need fo
Page 65 and 66: A related ICSP strategic goal is to
Page 67 and 68: While the Economic Development Stra
Page 69 and 70: Oakland The Oakland Secondary Plann
Page 71 and 72: to maintain existing conditions and
Page 73 and 74: patterns and potential dangers (“
Page 75 and 76: new residents, seasonal residents,
Page 77: vulnerabilities for individuals wit
Page 81 and 82: about this program and use their kn
Page 83 and 84: Groome, P. (2010). Census Changes H
Page 85 and 86: Appendix A: Annotated Bibliography
Page 87 and 88: and analyzed using a Decision Tree
Page 89 and 90: Dolan, A.H., and I.J. Walker. “Un
Page 91 and 92: in health care or mitigating socioe
Page 93 and 94: Appendix B: Table of Indicators and
Page 95 and 96: No Secondary Education Adger et al.
Page 97 and 98: Appendix C: Maps of Profile by Indi
Page 99 and 100: Government Transfer Payments This s
Page 101 and 102: Children The District has a Below A
Page 103 and 104: Seniors Living Alone The District h
Page 105 and 106: No Secondary Education Social vulne
Page 107 and 108: dissemination areas where no reside
Page 109 and 110: Visible Minorities The District of
Page 111 and 112: Appendix D: Radar Diagrams for each
Page 113 and 114: 105
Page 115 and 116: DA 82 DA 83 Aboriginal Identity Vis
Page 117 and 118: DA 123 DA 124 Aboriginal Identity V
Page 119 and 120: DA 160 DA 161 Aboriginal Identity V
Page 121 and 122: Mahone Bay Food Bank Hospital, Long
Page 123: South Shore Big Brothers Big Sister
show all

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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?