Vulnerability and its discontents: the past, present, and future of climate change vulnerability research

James D. Ford (), Tristan Pearce, Graham McDowell, Lea Berrang-Ford, Jesse S. Sayles and Ella Belfer
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James D. Ford: University of Leeds
Tristan Pearce: University of the Sunshine Coast
Graham McDowell: University of British Columbia
Lea Berrang-Ford: University of Leeds
Jesse S. Sayles: McGill University
Ella Belfer: McGill University

Climatic Change, 2018, vol. 151, issue 2, No 8, 189-203

Abstract: Abstract The concept of vulnerability is well established in the climate change literature, underpinning significant research effort. The ability of vulnerability research to capture the complexities of climate-society dynamics has been increasingly questioned, however. In this paper, we identify, characterize, and evaluate concerns over the use of vulnerability approaches in the climate change field based on a review of peer-reviewed articles published since 1990 (n = 587). Seven concerns are identified: neglect of social drivers, promotion of a static understanding of human-environment interactions, vagueness about the concept of vulnerability, neglect of cross-scale interactions, passive and negative framing, limited influence on decision-making, and limited collaboration across disciplines. Examining each concern against trends in the literature, we find some of these concerns weakly justified, but others pose valid challenges to vulnerability research. Efforts to revitalize vulnerability research are needed, with priority areas including developing the next generation of empirical studies, catalyzing collaboration across disciplines to leverage and build on the strengths of divergent intellectual traditions involved in vulnerability research, and linking research to the practical realities of decision-making.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-018-2304-1

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