A socio-spatial analysis of vulnerability to climate change

Abstract

In urban areas, climate change effects are often associated with increasing risks of flood, heat waves, and sagging. Increasing climate risks exacerbate existing urban inequalities, poverty levels, and environmental degradation. Global urban policy is reacting to these urban issues by calling for making cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. In this paper, social impact assessment is used in combination with spatial analysis in a framework to support the operationalisation of urban polices. The framework is employed to investigate how climate change effects are distributed across the city and to identify which social groups are more vulnerable to climate risks.