Climate-vulnerable
Describing individuals, communities, ecosystems, or regions that are particularly susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change. This susceptibility arises from a combination of factors, including geographic location, socioeconomic status, lack of resources, and pre-existing environmental stressors. climate-vulnerable entities face heightened risks from extreme weather events (e.g., floods, droughts, heatwaves), sea-level rise, changes in precipitation patterns, and disruptions to agriculture and natural resources. Their capacity to adapt and cope with these changes is often limited, making them disproportionately affected by climate-related hazards.
Climate-vulnerable meaning with examples
- Coastal communities are often climate-vulnerable due to rising sea levels and increased storm surge. This threatens infrastructure, displaces populations, and contaminates freshwater supplies, forcing adaptation strategies like seawalls and relocation assistance to be taken into consideration to counter these impacts.
- Farmers in arid and semi-arid regions are climate-vulnerable because of increasing drought frequency and severity. This causes crop failures, livestock losses, and food insecurity, requiring the implementation of drought-resistant farming techniques, and water management practices for them to counter the effects of this change.
- Low-income populations are frequently climate-vulnerable due to a lack of resources to prepare for and recover from climate-related disasters. Limited access to healthcare, insurance, and social safety nets exacerbates their risks, increasing these risks is due to the fact that they may be required to make tough financial choices
- Coral reefs are climate-vulnerable ecosystems, susceptible to ocean acidification and coral bleaching caused by rising ocean temperatures. This can lead to habitat loss and biodiversity decline, negatively impacting the fishing and tourism industries, which are major players in these ecosystems.
Climate-vulnerable Synonyms
at risk from climate impacts
climate-exposed
climate-sensitive
fragile (in terms of climate)
susceptible to climate change