Harnessing the potential of vulnerability assessments for managing social-ecological systems

The concept of vulnerability has broadened from initial applications in the fields of risk and hazards, human ecology and resilience to include the management of social-ecological systems (SES). We review how this concept has been operationalized in various contexts and identify opportunities and ch...

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Published inEcology and society Vol. 26; no. 2; p. 1
Main Authors Thiault, Lauric, Jupiter, Stacy D., Johnson, Johanna E., Cinner, Joshua E., Jarvis, Rebecca M., Heron, Scott F., Maina, Joseph M., Marshall, Nadine A., Marshall, Paul A., Claudet, Joachim
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ottawa Resilience Alliance 01.06.2021
Subjects
Climate change
conservation planning
Ecological risk assessment
Environmental management
Environmental risk
Environmental Sciences
Hazard assessment
Human ecology
Resource management
risk
Sensitivity enhancement
Social-ecological systems
Sustainability
vulnerability
risk
social-ecological systems
vulnerability
conservation planning
sustainability
environmental management
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Summary:The concept of vulnerability has broadened from initial applications in the fields of risk and hazards, human ecology and resilience to include the management of social-ecological systems (SES). We review how this concept has been operationalized in various contexts and identify opportunities and challenges to apply vulnerability assessments to SES management in the face of social, environmental, and climatic changes. We synthesize these lessons into a 12-step framework to help practitioners scope, design, operationalize, and implement vulnerability assessments that can effectively minimize exposure, reduce sensitivity, and enhance adaptive capacity. We describe the rationale, assumptions, and implications that underlie each step and highlight future directions that are critically needed to further enable vulnerability assessments to address real-world sustainability challenges. These include applying biocultural approaches, building knowledge about SES vulnerability to nonclimate stressors, and anticipating potential trade-offs and maladaptation. The framework presented provides a roadmap for the development of integrated vulnerability assessments that are robust, context-specific, and relevant to the management of SES.
ISSN:1708-3087
1708-3087
DOI:10.5751/ES-12167-260201