Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden
Floods disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups. Social vulnerability assessments are the first step in designing just and equitable flood risk reduction strategies. In Sweden, earlier social vulnerability indices apply top-down approaches. In this paper, we develop and apply a combined bottom...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Climate |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2023.1038883/full |
| _version_ | 1797824106840719360 |
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| author | Mathilda Englund Marlon Vieira Passos Karin André Åsa Gerger Swartling Lisa Segnestam Karina Barquet |
| author_facet | Mathilda Englund Marlon Vieira Passos Karin André Åsa Gerger Swartling Lisa Segnestam Karina Barquet |
| author_sort | Mathilda Englund |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Floods disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups. Social vulnerability assessments are the first step in designing just and equitable flood risk reduction strategies. In Sweden, earlier social vulnerability indices apply top-down approaches. In this paper, we develop and apply a combined bottom-up and top-down approach to assess social vulnerability to flooding at a sub-municipal level in Sweden. We tested an indicator-based climate risk and vulnerability framework, more specifically the impact chain method suggested by the Vulnerability Sourcebook. We involved stakeholders using various participatory methods in three workshops, interviews, and informal exchanges to identify variables and indicators for social vulnerability. The Indicators were aggregated into a composite social vulnerability index using exploratory factor analysis. We thereafter mapped the social vulnerability index scores to uncover spatial injustices. We found that the proposed social vulnerability index captures municipal nuances better than national-level approaches. Our findings indicate an uneven spatial distribution of social vulnerability that mimics the overall patterns of income segregation found in the municipality. Many areas that score low in social vulnerability endure high exposure to floods. The social vulnerability index can support municipalities in designing just and equitable interventions toward flood risk reduction by serving as an input to policymaking, investment strategies, and civil protection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:34:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-767d2521d9cb4d74a2595b7ee2117421 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:34:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Climate |
| spelling | doaj.art-767d2521d9cb4d74a2595b7ee21174212023-05-18T07:18:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Climate2624-95532023-05-01510.3389/fclim.2023.10388831038883Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in SwedenMathilda EnglundMarlon Vieira PassosKarin AndréÅsa Gerger SwartlingLisa SegnestamKarina BarquetFloods disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups. Social vulnerability assessments are the first step in designing just and equitable flood risk reduction strategies. In Sweden, earlier social vulnerability indices apply top-down approaches. In this paper, we develop and apply a combined bottom-up and top-down approach to assess social vulnerability to flooding at a sub-municipal level in Sweden. We tested an indicator-based climate risk and vulnerability framework, more specifically the impact chain method suggested by the Vulnerability Sourcebook. We involved stakeholders using various participatory methods in three workshops, interviews, and informal exchanges to identify variables and indicators for social vulnerability. The Indicators were aggregated into a composite social vulnerability index using exploratory factor analysis. We thereafter mapped the social vulnerability index scores to uncover spatial injustices. We found that the proposed social vulnerability index captures municipal nuances better than national-level approaches. Our findings indicate an uneven spatial distribution of social vulnerability that mimics the overall patterns of income segregation found in the municipality. Many areas that score low in social vulnerability endure high exposure to floods. The social vulnerability index can support municipalities in designing just and equitable interventions toward flood risk reduction by serving as an input to policymaking, investment strategies, and civil protection.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2023.1038883/fullSwedenfloodingjusticesocial vulnerabilitysocial vulnerability indexbottom-up assessment |
| spellingShingle | Mathilda Englund Marlon Vieira Passos Karin André Åsa Gerger Swartling Lisa Segnestam Karina Barquet Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden Frontiers in Climate Sweden flooding justice social vulnerability social vulnerability index bottom-up assessment |
| title | Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden |
| title_full | Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden |
| title_fullStr | Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden |
| title_short | Constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding: insights from a municipality in Sweden |
| title_sort | constructing a social vulnerability index for flooding insights from a municipality in sweden |
| topic | Sweden flooding justice social vulnerability social vulnerability index bottom-up assessment |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2023.1038883/full |
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