Climate Vulnerability Assessment

Lecture 02 of 8

Hazard, exposure and sensitivity: the three inputs

What each of the three inputs to a vulnerability assessment actually measures, and the data source a Sri Lankan officer can realistically get for each one.

Reading lecture40 minCompletedQuiz not passed · 50%Written questions to do

In this lecture

  • Define sensitivity separately from exposure
  • Match each input to an available data source
  • Avoid double-counting between inputs

Exposure is a location question

Exposure asks only where people, assets and systems sit relative to the hazard - a school on a flood plain is exposed whether or not it ever floods. Confusing exposure with vulnerability is the most common error in a first assessment, and it inflates the apparent risk of well-protected places while hiding the real one.

Sensitivity is a condition, not a location

Two schools on the same flood plain are not equally sensitive: one built on stilts with a raised generator room absorbs a flood the other cannot. Sensitivity records the physical and social condition that decides how much a given exposure actually hurts, and it is normally the hardest of the three inputs to find good data for.

Materials

Yours to keep, and usable away from the platform.

  • District-level hazard layersData · 480 KB
  • Sensitivity indicator checklistWorksheet · 88 KB

Design prototype - the attachments are placeholders and nothing downloads yet.

Lecture quiz

You scored 50% last time. There is no limit on attempts - this is a foundation, not a filter.

Take it again