Composite Vulnerability Index Research Articles

Construction of a Composite Vulnerability Index to Map Peripheralization Risk in Urban and Metropolitan Areas

As cities and poverty continue to grow worldwide, both spatial and a-spatial peripheralization processes expose entire urban and metropolitan areas at risk of degradation, not just traditional peripheries. The main aim of this paper is to propose a methodology for peripheralization risk assessment, according to the general theory of territorial risk, in order to identify priority areas where mitigation actions should be envisaged through urban and territorial planning. Such an approach constitutes the novelty of the work. So, peripheralization risk is defined for the first time, depending on aggregated vulnerability and exposure. Based on a literature review, a set of vulnerability indicators structured in three dimensions is defined in order to construct the composite vulnerability index in the Italian geographical context. Due to the absence of well-established threshold values, an aggregation method based on fuzzy logic is used. The methodology was applied to a conurbation of 16 municipalities in Campania Region (Italy). Obtained results showed that areas most at risk can be both peripheral and central neighborhoods, but also entire municipalities, demonstrating how mitigation actions are needed at different planning levels. Since the necessary input data are ordinarily available in planning processes, the proposed methodology can be transferred to other geographical contexts.

A new composite climate change vulnerability index

Abstract The earth’s climate is changing, with global warming attributable to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions driven by economic and population growth. Human systems and ecosystems vary in their exposure, mitigation and adaptive capacity, and vulnerability to various forms of climate change. Once mitigation and adaptation efforts have been exhausted, vulnerability remains. Data compiled by the University of Notre Dame covering over 100 nations in 2016 were used to construct a new composite climate change vulnerability index that features endogenously generated weights to aggregate vulnerability indices across six vulnerable sectors. These weights have the potential to inform policy aimed at allocating resources to reduce the cost of limiting vulnerability. The new composite vulnerability index, whose weights differ across sectors and across nations, is compared with the Notre Dame vulnerability index, which uses weights equal across sectors and constant across nations. Although the two indices agree on the identity of the most vulnerable nations, there is a statistically significant difference between the two indices. In addition, a nonparametric statistical test failed to reject the null hypothesis that one sectoral index could be deleted from the composite index without significant loss of information. This also has potentially important policy implications.

Developing a multi-facet social vulnerability measure for flood disasters at the micro-level assessment

Sri Lanka has experienced severe consequences of flood disasters in recent decades. Hundreds of thousands of people and their homes were affected by mass floods in 2016 and 2017. However, the quantification of social vulnerability to such calamities has not been examined, although this is critical to achieve more efficient response and recovery. In this context, we shed light on an influential mechanism in order to measure social vulnerability to flooding in both rural and urban areas. We developed the multi-facet composite social vulnerability index (MFCSVI) by considering 31 robust variables drawn from five main components including socio-demographic, physical, financial, health, and social networks, as well as related social capital factors. We investigated 21 local administrative units by covering 405 affected households through a household survey. The results demonstrate diverse situations of social vulnerability to flooding between and within regions. The households from Kuruwita are significantly less vulnerable compared to those from Elapatha and Colombo. Our research provides empirical insight for policy makers who are interested in gauging social vulnerability and planning efficient solutions for response and recovery. Especially, this study contributes to the existing body of vulnerability research by elaborating traditional measures of social vulnerability by applying highly detailed survey data and various weight schemes of influential factors for the vulnerability assessment. Also, regional disparity between rural and urban areas is obviously worth to note for Sri Lankan vulnerability assessment.

District-level analysis of climate vulnerability and household nutrition status among rural communities in Odisha, India

Good nutrition is the foundation of human well-being that leads to better health, effective engagement of the workforce, and productive lifestyle, resulting in higher income and an integrated development trajectory. This paper attempts to comprehend the impact of climate vulnerability on household nutrition status through agriculture production systems in Odisha, India. This study using secondary data estimates a composite index of climate vulnerability on the agriculture ecosystem in Odisha at the district scale. Results suggest that among all the districts in Odisha, Bhadrak (0.193) is the most vulnerable district followed by Sonepur (0.191) and Baudh (0.190). On the other hand, Mayurbhanj (0.099) is the least vulnerable district followed by Ganjam (0.103) and Sundargarh (0.105). The fi ndings also suggest that there is a wide variation in vulnerability indicators among the districts in Odisha (0.099 – the lowest district value vs. 0.193 – the highest). The results of multivariate analysis evince that in households (both women and children) nutritional status, the composite value of “climate vulnerability” has a greater role in predicting the predictors in Odisha through the agriculture production system. The climate vulnerability has a positive and signifi cant relationship with forest area (r=0.403*), gross cropped area (r=0.489**), percent of scheduled caste population (r=0.510**), percent of urban area (r=0.427*), and per-capita income (r=0.712**). The fi ndings also signify that district-wise gross cropped area (t=3.01), average annual rainfall (t=4.05), area under irrigation (t=3.36), cropping intensity (t=3.60), and forest areas (t=1.81) play a more predictive role to determine the household nutritional status along with socioeconomic and health factors such as per-capita income (t=1.8), urbanization (t=1.91), and women’s anemic status (t=2.74). Drawing inferences from the empirical evidence, the study suggests that climate vulnerability has a much greater role in influencing household nutrition status, particularly with women and child nutrition through the agriculture production system. Appropriate policy level measures for climate-sensitive and adaptive action are the need of the hour to make agriculture production ecosystem contributes positively to nutrition status.

Assessing hazards induced vulnerability in coastal districts of India using site-specific indicators: an integrated approach

Coastal districts of India being diverse in nature are under constant vulnerability to hazards. The article analyzes vulnerability as a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptation capacity. We selected site-specific factors of exposure, sensitivity and adaptation for constructing the composite vulnerability index. Findings revealed very high and high vulnerability in the eastern coastal districts while western coastal districts experienced moderate and low vulnerability. High frequency of cyclone and storm surge, low socio-economic status and lack of basic amenities and facilities were found significant stressors for increasing vulnerability in coastal districts. Composite vulnerability index not only helped in analyzing causative factors of vulnerability but also proved to be an effective tool in identifying priority districts where efforts could be made to lessen vulnerability. The study calls for policy measures to reduce vulnerability and safeguard the coastal communities from the risk of disasters.

Development of composite vulnerability index and district level mapping of climate change induced drought in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract In India, Tamil Nadu is one of the states most vulnerable to drought impacting agriculture and allied activities. This study attempts to develop a new composite drought vulnerability index (CDVI) comprising both crop and dairy indicators for 30 districts of Tamil Nadu, India. The computation of index was based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approach using exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Initially, indicators were normalized to make sure that all the indicators are comparable and weights were assigned to each indicator based on principal component analysis. Then, the districts were classified as high, moderate and less vulnerable on the basis of magnitude of the index. Coimbatore has the highest exposure to drought vulnerability (0.58) and the lowest was in Krishnagiri (0.35). In case of sensitivity, the highest was in Kancheepuram (0.69), while the lowest was in Tiruppur (0.26). The highest adaptive capacity was observed in Nagapattinam (0.52) and the lowest was in Tiruppur (0.24). None of the districts had higher adaptive capacity than sensitivity and exposure, combinedly. Overall, CDVI was highest in Kanchipuram (0.88), lowest in Erode (0.45) and moderate in Thanjavur (0.73). District level vulnerability mapping showed that twelve districts were categorized as highly vulnerable to drought; eight districts as moderately vulnerable; and ten districts as less vulnerable. Most of the districts in north eastern and southern agro-climatic zones; a few districts in Cauvery delta and western zones of Tamil Nadu had come under high vulnerable category, while a majority of the districts in north western, western and high rainfall zones were less vulnerable. To mitigate drought vulnerability, government should focus and aid in developing regional level adaptation strategies such as water conserving techniques/farm pond and appropriate policy measures to safeguard the livelihood from agriculture and dairying. Also, special attention may be given to local people’s understandings about drought including traditional practices to cope-up vulnerability.

An assessment of energy vulnerability in Small Island Developing States

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) suffer from several structural characteristics that jeopardize their ability to achieve a sustainable energy future. Their reliance on imported fossil fuels exacerbates their exposure to external threats on international energy markets. Their energy systems are also exposed to internal disturbances that disrupt the proper production, transmission and distribution of energy. The aim of this paper is to investigate the extent to which island energy systems are vulnerable to shocks and internal dysfunctions over which they have no control. For this purpose, we build a composite index of energy vulnerability using the Multi-Layer Benefit-of-the-Doubt approach. Such an approach enables the identification of economic, environmental and social dimensions that play an important role in the relative energy vulnerability of SIDS. Ultimately, we shed light on the priority areas requiring immediate attention in order to mitigate energy vulnerability in SIDS.

Household vulnerability to floods and cyclones in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

In Pakistan, floods and cyclones have caused widespread human and socio-economic losses. Individual households with same exposure but varying capabilities are increasingly faced with challenges to reduce, cope, or recover from the impacts. Managing risks effectively need an understanding of the factors that drive people's underlying vulnerabilities and worsening the impacts at household level. In this paper, using vulnerability index approach (a function of exposure, susceptibility, and resilience), household vulnerability to cyclones and floods was assessed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), province of Pakistan. Data was collected from 300 households within KP province and from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, KP. Using subjective weighing method (based on expert judgment) weights were assigned to the indicators for developing vulnerability indices. Results of the composite vulnerability indices indicated that in all the surveyed sites households were highly vulnerable and less resilient to the impacts of floods and cyclonic storms. Building type and location, dependent population, illiteracy, unemployment, and weak economic capacity were identified as major factors driving household's vulnerability. The study findings can inform the government and decision makers to strengthen the physical and socio-economic indicators by improving risk reduction strategies and ensuring effective utilization of resources to reduce the vulnerabilities and impacts in future.

Vulnerability Index Analysis of Bepondi Island as a Reference for Small and Outer Islands Management in Indonesian

Indonesia is an archipelagic country with many small islands as the outer border of the territory. Special attention and development programs are important due to it relates to the improvement of public welfare and national sovereignty. Therefore, the vulnerability study for small and outer islands is urgently conducted as an initial step for regional development programs. This study aims to analyze the vulnerability level of Bepondi Island, West Papua from various threats either directly from nature by biologically, geologically, climate change effect, or anthropological and social-economic. To determine the small and outer island’s vulnerability, composite vulnerability index (CVI) has been applied. Several ecological indexes have been composited were coastal index (CI), Isolation Index (II), Land-used degradation index (LDI), Ecosystem degradation index, and Sea Level Rise Index (SLRI). The results showed that Bepondi Island has CVI calculated for 0.47, which means the island was exposed to medium-high vulnerability. This was caused by the threat from abrasion, potential landslide, and isolation. On the other hand, this island has a fairly high fishery potential. Therefore, mitigation plans to cope with disasters were urgently needed and communication infrastructures must be promptly built as a countermeasure for the island’s isolation problem.

Climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies through best management practices

There is a growing scientific consensus on climate change and its impact on catchment scale hydrologic and water quality processes. Therefore, it is not only important to understand the impact of climate change but also necessary to formulate adaptation strategies to negate the effect of climate change. To this end, we have developed a hydrologic modeling framework (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) concomitant with Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) to develop individual as well as composite climate vulnerability index in a Southern New Jersey Watershed. Three agricultural BMPs including cover crop, filter strip, and no till were examined to determine their ability to negate the climate change impact on water fluxes and water quality in the watershed. Downscaled projected temperature and precipitation from six General Circulation Models (GCMs) for moderate and high emission scenarios (RCP-4.5 and 8.5, respectively) from the latest suite of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were incorporated in to the hydrologic model.Overall, results suggested an increase in temperature and precipitation under climate change scenarios leading to rise in surface runoff, streamflow, sediment and TP load relative to baseline scenario. Highly vulnerable areas to flooding, sedimentation and eutrophication under climate change using AHP framework were standout from other types of vulnerable areas in the watershed due to presence of excess impervious surface, higher percentage of agricultural lands, and increased sediment and organic phosphorus, respectively. When agricultural BMPs were implemented in corn and soybean fields located inside critical source areas (CSAs) under climate change scenarios, BMPs showed little to no effect towards reduction of water fluxes while they reduced maximum 2% and 12% of sediment and TP, respectively, compared to no BMP under climate change scenario. Further, as the BMP were incorporated in all corn and soybean fields in the watershed, the maximum sediment and TP reduction increased to 8% and 44%, respectively. The study outcomes suggests that climate change will increase the water fluxes as well as pollution load in the watershed, however, BMPs can be used to negate the water quality impact due to climate change.

Communities’ Livelihood Vulnerability to Climate Variability in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has experienced more than 10 major drought episodes since the 1970s. Evidence has shown that climate change exacerbates the situation and presents a daunting challenge to predominantly rain-fed agricultural livelihoods. The aim of this study was to analyze the extent and sources of smallholder famers’ livelihood vulnerability to climate change/variability in the Upper Blue Nile basin. We conducted a household survey (n = 391) across three distinct agroecological communities and a formative composite index of livelihood vulnerability (LVI) was constructed. The Mann–Kendall test and the standard precipitation index (SPI) were employed to analyze trends of rainfall, temperature, and drought prevalence for the period from 1982 to 2016. The communities across watersheds showed a relative difference in the overall livelihood vulnerability index. Aba Gerima (midland) was found to be more vulnerable, with a score of 0.37, while Guder (highland) had a relatively lower LVI with a 0.34 index score. Given similar exposure to climate variability and drought episodes, communities’ livelihood vulnerability was mainly attributed to their low adaptive capacity and higher sensitivity indicators. Adaptive capacity was largely constrained by a lack of participation in community-based organizations and a lack of income diversification. This study will have practical implications for policy development in heterogeneous agroecological regions for sustainable livelihood development and climate change adaptation programs.

Mapping a Climate Change Vulnerability Index: An Assessment in Agricultural, Geological and Demographic Sectors across the Districts of Karnataka (India)

Climate change is a continuous phenomenon and over hundreds of years, the atmosphere has changed considerably around the world. Karnataka has the second largest drought prone area in the country next only to Rajasthan. Assessment of vulnerability index could play a major role in designing appropriate mitigation and adaptation policies to overcome the impacts of climate change. The vulnerability assessment is an exhaustive procedure determined by a large number of indicators. This study attempted to capture a picture of composite vulnerability index of different districts of Karnataka by considering agronomic, climatic and demographic indicators. The secondary data on climatic, agronomic and demographic factors were collected from various sources for the year 2017-18. The findings of the study as shown that the average vulnerability index for 30 districts is 0.577 and 16 districts placed above the average composite vulnerability index level. Bidar (0.655) is the most vulnerable district followed by Kolar (0.658) and Yadgir (0.638) districts. Shivamogga (0.440), Davanagere (0.486) and Udupi (0.486) districts exhibit the least vulnerability to changing climate. The results suggest that agricultural and climatic indicators are the major factors which influence vulnerability. So special attention should be given to agricultural and climatic sectors to minimize the impacts of climatic change in the most vulnerable districts.

An Assessment of Vulnerability of Fishers’ Livelihood to Climate Change in Coastal Odisha

A study was conducted in Odisha, a state on the east coast of India, with the objective of assessing the vulnerability of fishers’ livelihood to climate change. The state was chosen for study since it is considered as one of the most vulnerable states due to climate change. A total of 120 fishers were interviewed from two districts, Balasore and Ganjam, to assess their livelihood vulnerability by considering their exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity to climate change. A composite livelihood vulnerability index by suggesting that fishers are vulnerable to climate change. For fishers of + 0.03 and for Ganjam it was 0.5 minima 0, and maxima 1 was used for the purpose. Baleswar the score was 0.56 0.04, s. The aggregated vulnerability score was found to be 0.54+The composite livelihood vulnerability index approach calculates vulnerability by aggregating data for a set of indicators for the components of vulnerability which include exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity + 0.04. Vulnerability score was relatively higher in Baleswar due to higher scores on the exposure and sensitivity parameters overshadowing the higher adaptive capacity. The study shows evidence that marine fishers of Odisha are vulnerable to climate change. Also, it throws light on the location and context specificity of livelihood vulnerability.

Coastal vulnerability analysis of Bangladesh coast using fuzzy logic based geospatial techniques

Bangladesh coast is recognized as one of the hotspots of several coastal hazards like coastal flood, sea level rise, increased tropical cyclone occurrence etc. To understand the problem followed by necessary coastal management recommendation, an integrated coastal vulnerability index i.e., Composite Vulnerability Index (CVI) was developed for the coastal region applying geospatial technique. Three sub-indices, namely, Coastal Characteristics Vulnerability sub-index (CCVI), Coastal Forcing Vulnerability Sub-index (CFVI) and Socio-economic vulnerability sub-index (SEVI) were separately estimated and combined to determine the CVI. Since, the classical set theory of traditional vulnerability classification is inadequate to express the natural variability of vulnerability at continuous scale, this study offered a framework of vulnerability representation using fuzzy set theory. The approach was effective to handle the uncertainty of large scale vulnerability analysis with the normalization of featured factors applying three fuzzy membership functions i.e., Fuzzy-Large, Fuzzy-Small and Fuzzy-Linear in geospatial analysis. The analysis was carried out at 10 m cell level and classified with five vulnerability classes i.e., very high, high, moderate, low and very low. The analyses show that the Chittagong coast and Feni district are very highly vulnerable. High tide amplitude (>4 m), cyclone track density and mild coastal slope are responsible for the high vulnerability of the Chittagong coast. On the other hand, Feni district shows the highest SEVI which is resulted from high population density and socio-economic conditions. Presence of mangrove forest results a reduced CFVI which significantly decrease the vulnerability of Pirojpur, Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat district. Based on the responsible vulnerability index, necessary coastal protection measures are recommended for the coast. It is expected that the comprehensive vulnerability map with CVI can be a key element for coastal management of Bangladesh. Furthermore, the classification of vulnerability under different class will help to develop necessary coastal protection measures according to the resiliency of the coastal community.

Vulnerability of inland and coastal aquaculture to climate change: Evidence from a developing country

Developing countries, which contribute 90% of global aquaculture production, are considered global climate risk hotspots. However, no study focuses on measuring district- or sub-national-level aquaculture vulnerability to climatic hazards or disasters. This study has measured the level of aquaculture vulnerability to climate variability and change in all 64 districts of Bangladesh using a composite vulnerability index approach (using 19 climatic, environmental and socio-economic indicators) and geographical information system (GIS). The results reveal that aquaculture in 12 districts namely Satkhira, Mymensingh, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Sunamganj, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Cox's Bazar have very high vulnerability (in order of highest to lowest vulnerability), which are explained by their higher level of exposure, moderate level of sensitivity, and lower to moderate level of adaptive capacity. Among these, 8 districts belong to inland and 4 districts to coastal regions of the country. Three districts, namely Dhaka, Chittagong, and Bandarban, have the lowest level of aquaculture vulnerability (in order of lowest to highest vulnerability) mainly because of very high adaptive capacity and moderate or low level of sensitivity and exposure. This study will punctuate the vulnerability of inland aquaculture and develop and prioritize actions to reduce the climatic impacts.

Vulnerability assessment for flash floods using GIS spatial modeling and remotely sensed data in El-Arish City, North Sinai, Egypt

Egypt suffers from freshwater crisis, and the shortage is predicted to become severe by 2025. Egypt is exposed to flash floods, especially in Sinai governorate, causing rapid rises of water in a short amount of time and can trigger other catastrophic hazards associated with damage, danger to human life, properties and environment. Flash floods may be considered a source of water that can be explored to meet the water shortage problem. In this study, a composite flash floods vulnerability index based on an integrated hydro-climatic and physical vulnerability component was created. The composite index was based on eight parameters including rainfall distribution, elevation and slope, flow direction, streams, geomorphological features, soil type and land cover. The composite index was ranked into three categories: high, moderate and low. The index can help identify the weak and strong points to support the decision-making process concerned with water management as an essential prerequisite for Egypt sustainable development. The results revealed that the urban, vegetation cover, loamy sand, sand dunes, the low elevation and the flat areas are the most affected by the flash floods in EL-Arish City in Sinai governorate. 42% of Wadi El-Arish had low vulnerability, 45% moderate vulnerability and 13% high vulnerability.

Energy vulnerability in the Southwest Indian Ocean islands

ABSTRACTSouthwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) islands rely extensively on imported fossil energy to fuel their economic and social activities. This dependency coupled with energy price volatility and possible supply chain disruptions further threaten their sustainable energy future. The concept of energy vulnerability is used as a framework to assess the extent to which SWIO islands are vulnerable to adverse events by means of a composite index of energy vulnerability. It is expressed as the geometric mean of five sub-indicators: access to energy, energy import dependency, primary energy mix diversity, primary energy intensity of gross domestic product (GDP) and energy bill. Energy performances vary across SWIO islands and dimensions contributing the most to energy vulnerability are analyzed. The energy vulnerability index can be used by policy-makers as a benchmarking tool in ‘under-performing’ islands to duplicate best practices and accelerate energy transition in the region.

Climate change vulnerability in a tropical region based on environmental and socio-economic factors.

The understanding of the regional and local dimensions of vulnerability due to climate change is essential to develop appropriate and targeted adaptation efforts. We assessed the local dimensions of vulnerability in the tropical state of Kerala, India, using a purposely developed vulnerability index, which accounts for both environmental and socio-economic factors. The large extents of coastal wetlands and lagoons and high concentration of mangrove forests make the state environmentally vulnerable. Low human development index, large population of socially deprived groups, which are dependent on the primary sector, and high population density make the state vulnerable from a socio-economic point of view. The present study investigates climate change vulnerability at the district level in the State of Kerala relying on a purposely developed composite vulnerability index that encompasses both socio-economic and environmental factors. The Kerala coast contains the socio-economically and ecologically most vulnerable regions, as demonstrated by a composite vulnerability index.

Vulnerability to storm surge flood using remote sensing and GIS techniques: A study on Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India

Assessment of vulnerability to storm surge flood is not only significant for the survival of the exposed communities but also for adaptation. Defining vulnerability as the function of exposure, sensitivity and resilience capacity, we propose a composite vulnerability index (CVI) to assess village- level vulnerability to storm surge flood in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR), India. The composite vulnerability index based analysis revealed that of the total villages (1063) located in SBR; nearly half of the villages are highly and very highly vulnerable with least capacity to cope with any kind of extreme event. The villages located in the southern parts and adjacent to coast were found more vulnerable to storm surge while those located at higher elevation in the central part showed low vulnerability. Some villages in northern part of the region were under high and very high vulnerability due to presence of low lying and waterlogged wetlands. The findings of the study may have implications for developing resilience capacity in response to storm surge flooding. Thus, the methodology can help the local policymakers in integrating local multi-hazards knowledge and in making information actionable for mitigation and adaptation of storm surge flood hazard.

GIS based quantification and mapping of climate change vulnerability hotspots in Addis Ababa

BackgroundUnlike the studies undertaken on agricultural and hydrological sectors, focused climate change vulnerability researches in urban centers in Ethiopia is not widely available and of recent history. However, as many signals of climate change vulnerability started to happen in urban centers as well, it is inevitable to analyze, quantify, map, prioritize and be prepared for adaptation measures. This study is therefore, tried to assess, quantify and map climate change vulnerability in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by integrating two climate change vulnerability assessment models, namely, the Sullivan and Meigh’s Model of composite climate change vulnerability index and the IPCC’s approach of vulnerability assessment which comprises exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Fifteen sub-components of vulnerability indicators were identified in ten sub-cities (Addis Ketema, Arada, Akaki-Kality, Bole, Gulelle, Kirkos, Kolfe-Keraniyo, Lideta, Nifasilk-Lafto and Yeka) of Addis Ababa. Due to the scale, degree, amount and unit of measurement for the selected indicators varied, their values were normalized to a number which ranges between 0 and 1, indicating as the values increased to 1, vulnerability to climate change increases. The study uses Iyengar and Sudarshan’s unequal weighting system, to assign a weight to all indicators. The results were mapped using ArcGIS 10.2 package.ResultsThe results indicated that the ten sub-cities in Addis Ababa were found in different levels of vulnerability to climate change. The exposure and sensitivity were highest for Addis Ketema, Arada, and Lideta which are found in central parts of the city, with a normalization index value greater than 0.5. The adaptive capacity index is the highest in Gulelle, Bole, and Arada sub-cities. These sub-cities have better quality houses, well-planned districts, good infrastructural facilities and good coverage of green areas compared to others. The overall climate change vulnerability was the highest (normalized index > 0.5) in Arada, Addis Ketema and Lideta, due to the adaptation capacity is the lowest compared to other sub-cities.ConclusionAddis Ababa is vulnerable to climate change impacts and the degree of vulnerability is underpinned by the interaction of multiple factors mainly adaptive capacities of sub-cities, location based characteristics and changes in climatic parameters. These present a need to strengthen mitigation and adaptation activities and prioritize sub cities for intervention based on the degree of vulnerability. It is also understood that the Sullivan and Meigh’s Model and IPCC’s approach for climate change analyses, could be used simultaneously for preparing vulnerability index per different geographical locations.