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

Introduction
Social vulnerability refers to the inability of individuals or groups to withstand negative impacts
from stressors. While social vulnerability is experienced on an individual level, it is determined
on a social, cultural and political level: people are socially vulnerable not because of inherent
characteristics, but because of socially, culturally, and politically determined levels of access to
various resources. Socially vulnerable individuals and groups are those members of society that
experience marginalization and exclusion, and therefore limited access to the resources they
require to successfully endure challenging situations.
Emergency management planning is a component of climate change adaptation planning. It is
directed at being prepared for acute conditions (such as storm surge) or avoiding long term
conditions, such as placing critical infrastructure (service centres, or emergency routes) or
vulnerable populations (seniors, infirmed, economically disadvantaged) in locations at risk of
climate change impacts (such as storm flooding and sea level rise inundation in coastal areas).
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various geographic areas within a municipality
will allow emergency management planners to target each area with the most appropriate type
of assistance, and will support land use decisions, broadly, in order to reduce overall
vulnerability.
Rationale and Objectives
The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate social vulnerability to climate change impacts in
the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The study uses data aggregated at
the dissemination area level to assess the prevalence of characteristics contributing to the social
vulnerability of individuals and households, and represents this vulnerability spatially, illustrated
with maps and diagrams. The objectives of this study area:
to generate an index of social vulnerability for application in Nova Scotia;
to identify residential areas and populations in the District of Lunenburg with high levels
of social vulnerability, and community services that serve socially vulnerable people;
to suggest the possible impacts of climate change, specifically storm surge flooding, on
socially vulnerable populations and areas in the District of Lunenburg; and
to suggest opportunities for reducing adverse impacts on socially vulnerable populations
in the District of Lunenburg.
A second purpose of the study is to generate a methodology for assessing social vulnerability
that may be applied in other Nova Scotia municipalities, in order to assist them in meeting the
upcoming requirement to create a Climate Change Action Plan. Many municipalities in Nova
Scotia are small and have limited capacity and resources. Therefore, the most suitable
methodology for assessing social vulnerability will be easily replicated; use readily available
data; and require minimal technological capacity or expert knowledge.
The results of this study will provide information that facilitates decisions by the Municipality of
the District of Lunenburg on how to minimize storm surge impacts on its citizens by focusing
emergency management planning on high-risk populations and areas. The results will also
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