An Intersectional Approach to Climate Risk Assessment

This working paper from the International Institute for Sustainable Development introduces a framework for an intersectional approach to Climate Risk Assessments (CRAs). The approach aims to move beyond simple identification of vulnerable groups to analyze how overlapping systems of inequity create structural barriers that increase climate vulnerability.

• Traditional Climate Risk Assessments (CRAs) frequently fail to adequately address social dynamics, often overlooking, oversimplifying, or relying on generalizations when analyzing the factors that determine climate risks.
• An intersectional approach to CRA improves upon typical assessments by examining how overlapping systems of inequity interact to create structural barriers that heighten vulnerability to climate change.
• The International Institute for Sustainable Development developed a working framework for intersectional CRAs through a co-production process involving researchers, advocates, and practitioners, following a 2024 knowledge co-production workshop and a May 2025 workshop. This framework is currently being tested via participatory case study research in South Africa and Nepal.

APA

Dekens,, A. D. H. (2026). An Intersectional Approach to Climate Risk Assessment. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/intersectional-approach-climate-risk-assessment

Chicago

Dekens,, Angie Dazé,Cameron Hunter,Julie. An Intersectional Approach to Climate Risk Assessment. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/intersectional-approach-climate-risk-assessment.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dekens, |first1=Angie Dazé,Cameron Hunter,Julie |title=An Intersectional Approach to Climate Risk Assessment |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=9 June 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/intersectional-approach-climate-risk-assessment |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dekens2026intersectional, author = {Dekens,, Angie Dazé,Cameron Hunter,Julie}, title = {{An Intersectional Approach to Climate Risk Assessment}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/brief/intersectional-approach-climate-risk-assessment}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }