Assessing Human Vulnerability to Climate Change from an Evolutionary Perspective

This case study examines human vulnerability to climate change, arguing that vulnerability is determined by both exogenous hazards and the endogenous characteristics of human systems. It advocates for an evolutionary perspective to understand adaptive capacity and emphasizes the necessity of qualitative research to uncover structural and historical root causes of vulnerability.

• Human vulnerability to extreme events is determined by both exposure to external hazards and the internal characteristics of the human system, such as households, communities, or nations.
• An evolutionary perspective provides insights into the adaptive capacity of human systems, though this capacity is limited by historical and structural factors. The document illustrates this by comparing the root causes of vulnerability in Haiti and Chile following their 2010 earthquakes.
• Qualitative research methods are required to obtain the detailed data needed to identify the historical and structural root causes of vulnerability. The Global Islands’ Vulnerability Research Adaptation and Policy Development Project is cited as a model for qualitative, community-based assessments.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2017). Assessing Human Vulnerability to Climate Change from an Evolutionary Perspective. https://cdkn.org/resource/case-study-assessing-human-vulnerability-climate-change-evolutionary-perspective

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Assessing Human Vulnerability to Climate Change from an Evolutionary Perspective. 2017. https://cdkn.org/resource/case-study-assessing-human-vulnerability-climate-change-evolutionary-perspective.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Assessing Human Vulnerability to Climate Change from an Evolutionary Perspective |date=2 February 2017 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/case-study-assessing-human-vulnerability-climate-change-evolutionary-perspective |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2017assessing, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Assessing Human Vulnerability to Climate Change from an Evolutionary Perspective}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/case-study-assessing-human-vulnerability-climate-change-evolutionary-perspective}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }