Figure 1.15: FIGURE 1.15 PHOTO ESSAY: Vulnerability to Climate ChangeThe map shows the overall vulnerability places around the world have to climate change, based on a combination of human and environmental factors. Areas in darkest brown are vulnerable to floods, hurricanes, droughts, sea level rise, or other impacts related to climate change. When a place is exposed to an impact that it is sensitive to and has little resilience to, it becomes vulnerable. For example, many places are exposed to drought, but generally speaking, those places with the poorest populations are the most sensitive. However, sensitivity to drought can be compensated for if adequate relief and recovery systems, such as emergency water and food distribution systems, are in place. These systems lend an area a level of resilience that can reduce its overall vulnerability to climate change. A place’s vulnerability can be thought of as a combination of its sensitivity, exposure, and resilience in the face of multiple climate impacts.
