Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Approaches DPSIR Framework and Vulnerability Index

Abstract

Climate change is a reality. The effects of climate change are observed in every continent and in all sectors. These changes do not occur in isolation and often reflect changes in the global markets that may amplify or dampen the importance of the environmental challenges. Vulnerability refers to the potential of a system to be harmed by an external stress. This paper shows two different vulnerability assessment indexes: the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and the Livelihood Effect Index (LEI). Both indexes validly reflect the relative difference in terms to examining the vulnerability index of climate change and both could usefully form the basis for a nationally applicable index to identify and prioritize adaptation and mitigation needs. The Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework has evolved into an interdisciplinary tool for environmental analyses and assumes cause-effect relationship between interacting component of social, economic, and environmental systems. The DPSIR framework helps in identifying the indicators of (LVI) and (LEI) vulnerability index as cause-effect relationship. The DPSIR framework also provides the feedback of cause-effect continuous process which will be helpful in developing the capacities to cope or adapt to the vulnerability as responses factor.