Progress in Vulnerability Analysis of Coupled Human-Environment System

Abstract

The last several years have witnessed a significant evolution and extension in the connotation and contents of vulnerability and its applying knowledge spheres,especially in global climate change,environmental risks and sustainable management.Our understanding of vulnerability has been changing rapidly in both research and application.Vulnerability of human-environment systems is a multidimensional concept made up of various categories and originates from sophisticated courses.It is undoubtedly a key to maintaining the balance of ecological system and to achieving sustainability development of human society.However,questions about the great divergence in theory and practical assessment of vulnerability of Coupled Human-Environmental Systems are emerging as a central focus of debates among scientists who are facing the challenge to depict a comprehensive and integrative vulnerability assessment framework.The integration calls for consideration of concepts,assessment approaches and data organization which may have a basis on the same basic data.In the first part of this paper,we generalize several differentiating sources on diversity definitions and practically work such as overlapping and confusing defined concepts,unclear relevant knowledge bases and multi-dimensional views.On the basis of analyzing various vulnerability articles,we define the vulnerability in terms of ecological risk,and clarify the relationships of those concerning concepts.A generalization by classifying the ongoing and finished researches was made: The global environmental change and the sustainable development with selective characteristics of each source listed in a table.To meet integration purpose,we proposed an framework for vulnerability-based assessment on the clarity of definition in view of local ecological risk and vulnerability,formal assessment approaches with eight steps and the indicator structuring technique: The VSD(Vulnerability Scoping Diagram) which organizes the data in an circular assessment diagram with "vulnerability" as the center and its three fundamental elements :Exposure-Sensitivity-Adaptive capacity in the first ring in general form with exposure unspecified,while,in the processes of a specific assessment form,evaluating layers as Dimension-Indicator-Measures rings will be developed to organize those flourishing data.