Which Countries are Particularly Vulnerable? Science Doesn’t Have the Answer!

This policy brief argues that 'vulnerability' to climate change is a socially constructed and political concept rather than a quantifiable scientific attribute. It contends that scientists cannot provide an objective method for ranking countries to determine eligibility for adaptation funding under the UNFCCC, as such rankings require normative decisions that are the responsibility of political negotiators.

• There is a lack of agreement among Parties to the UNFCCC regarding the definition of 'particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change,' leading to ambiguity in how adaptation finance is prioritised.
• Vulnerability cannot be objectively measured or quantified; instead, any assessment is a socially constructed result of negotiations that reflects biased interpretations.
• The author asserts that scientists are unable to resolve political ambiguity and cannot create a definitive or unchallengeable method for ranking country vulnerability.
• Ranking countries by vulnerability requires normative decisions—such as selecting variables, assigning weights, and setting thresholds—which fall under the domain of politics and negotiators rather than science.
• It is improbable that Parties will agree on a single vulnerability index, as countries excluded from 'particularly vulnerable' rankings would likely contest the results due to the loss of prioritised adaptation funding.
• The UNFCCC and related agreements have provided various, sometimes conflicting, lists of vulnerable groups, including small island countries, those with low-lying coastal or arid areas, and least developed countries.

APA

Klein, R. J. (2010). Which Countries are Particularly Vulnerable? Science Doesn’t Have the Answer! Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Klein-WhichCountriesAreParticularlyVulnerable-2010.pdf

Chicago

Klein, Richard J.T. Which Countries are Particularly Vulnerable? Science Doesn’t Have the Answer! Stockholm Environment Institute, 2010. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Klein-WhichCountriesAreParticularlyVulnerable-2010.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Klein |first1=Richard J.T. |title=Which Countries are Particularly Vulnerable? Science Doesn’t Have the Answer! |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2010 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Klein-WhichCountriesAreParticularlyVulnerable-2010.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{klein2010which, author = {Klein, Richard J.T.}, title = {{Which Countries are Particularly Vulnerable? Science Doesn’t Have the Answer!}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-PolicyBrief-Klein-WhichCountriesAreParticularlyVulnerable-2010.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }