Perceptions and Consequences of Socioenvironmental Vulnerability Due to Tropical Cyclones in Los Cabos, Mexico

Elvia Aida Marín-Monroy, Victor Hernández-Trejo, Miguel Angel Ojeda-Ruiz de la Peña, Eleonora Romero-Vadillo and Antonina Ivanova-Boncheva
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Elvia Aida Marín-Monroy: Departamento de Pesquerías, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, 23080 La Paz, Mexico
Victor Hernández-Trejo: Departamento de Pesquerías, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, 23080 La Paz, Mexico
Miguel Angel Ojeda-Ruiz de la Peña: Departamento de Pesquerías, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, 23080 La Paz, Mexico
Eleonora Romero-Vadillo: Departamento de Pesquerías, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, 23080 La Paz, Mexico
Antonina Ivanova-Boncheva: Departamento de Pesquerías, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, 23080 La Paz, Mexico

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: Climate change has resulted in severe consequences of hydrometeorological phenomena. The municipality of Los Cabos, Mexico, has been the most affected in the state of Baja California Sur by these hazards due to its location on the southern tip of the peninsula, being exposed with approximately 192 km of coastline; it is an environmental heritage that has made the area a primary tourist attraction in Mexico, which has caused a rapid growth in population with little knowledge about cyclone activity. In addition, there is limited knowledge regarding social indicators that measure vulnerability due to tropical cyclones. Based on the above, the objective of this study was to capture community perceptions about vulnerability related to tropical cyclones and to compare the results with real impacts and their index of socioenvironmental vulnerability, which includes indicators of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, to provide useful information to form strategies to mitigate risk. Data were collected through a questionnaire-survey in 335 randomly selected households; we applied a probability model to the perception analysis and calculated an index to categorize vulnerability. We found differences between perceptions and real affectations, with 64% of households categorized as being highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones, and we detected a lower perception about damage suffered to their households. The variables related to knowledge and local or foreigner status were predictors of vulnerability perception. We included georeferenced data on flooding hazard maps as a strategy for adaptation.

Keywords: flooding hazard maps; exposure; planning; vulnerable population; tropical storms; vulnerability index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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