Climate & Environment
Vulnerability Assessment
The structured analysis of who and what is vulnerable, to which hazards, and why — the diagnostic that starts every adaptation plan.
Definition
A vulnerability assessment is the systematic process of identifying, quantifying and prioritising vulnerabilities to climate and other hazards in a population, sector, ecosystem or asset base: analysing exposure (what is in harm's way), sensitivity (how affected it would be) and adaptive capacity (resources to cope), using climate projections, socio-economic data and participatory methods. It is the prescribed first step of adaptation planning — national adaptation plans, local strategies, corporate physical risk analysis all begin here.
Overview
The overview for this term is being prepared.
Review
Help keep this definition useful and accurate.
Submitted reviews stay private until an editor decides whether to accept and attribute them.
Contribute to this entry
How would you like to contribute?
Every endorsement and suggested edit is checked by an editor before anything changes publicly.