IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i13p7274-d584696.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social Vulnerability across the Great Lakes Basin: A County-Level Comparative and Spatial Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Joshua T. Fergen

    (Program in Geography, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA)

  • Ryan D. Bergstrom

    (Program in Geography, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812, USA)

Abstract

Social vulnerability refers to how social positions affect the ability to access resources during a disaster or disturbance, but there is limited empirical examination of its spatial patterns in the Great Lakes Basin (GLB) region of North America. In this study, we map four themes of social vulnerability for the GLB by using the Center for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index (CDC SVI) for every county in the basin and compare mean scores for each sub-basin to assess inter-basin differences. Additionally, we map LISA results to identify clusters of high and low social vulnerability along with the outliers across the region. Results show the spatial patterns depend on the social vulnerability theme selected, with some overlapping clusters of high vulnerability existing in Northern and Central Michigan, and clusters of low vulnerability in Eastern Wisconsin along with outliers across the basins. Differences in these patterns also indicate the existence of an urban–rural dimension to the variance in social vulnerabilities measured in this study. Understanding regional patterns of social vulnerability help identify the most vulnerable people, and this paper presents a framework for policymakers and researchers to address the unique social vulnerabilities across heterogeneous regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua T. Fergen & Ryan D. Bergstrom, 2021. "Social Vulnerability across the Great Lakes Basin: A County-Level Comparative and Spatial Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-22, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7274-:d:584696
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7274/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/13/7274/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. W. Adger & P. Kelly, 1999. "Social Vulnerability to Climate Change and the Architecture of Entitlements," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 253-266, September.
    2. Eric Tate & Md Asif Rahman & Christopher T. Emrich & Christopher C. Sampson, 2021. "Flood exposure and social vulnerability in the United States," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 106(1), pages 435-457, March.
    3. Seth E. Spielman & Joseph Tuccillo & David C. Folch & Amy Schweikert & Rebecca Davies & Nathan Wood & Eric Tate, 2020. "Evaluating social vulnerability indicators: criteria and their application to the Social Vulnerability Index," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 100(1), pages 417-436, January.
    4. Samuel Rufat & Eric Tate & Christopher T. Emrich & Federico Antolini, 2019. "How Valid Are Social Vulnerability Models?," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 109(4), pages 1131-1153, July.
    5. Neil Adger, W., 1999. "Social Vulnerability to Climate Change and Extremes in Coastal Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 249-269, February.
    6. Susan L. Cutter & Bryan J. Boruff & W. Lynn Shirley, 2003. "Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 84(2), pages 242-261, June.
    7. Md Aboul Fazal Younus & Md Alamgir Kabir, 2018. "Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation of Bangladesh: Mechanisms, Notions and Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Nathan Wood & Christopher Burton & Susan Cutter, 2010. "Community variations in social vulnerability to Cascadia-related tsunamis in the U.S. Pacific Northwest," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 52(2), pages 369-389, February.
    9. Stéphane Hallegatte & Adrien Vogt-Schilb & Julie Rozenberg & Mook Bangalore & Chloé Beaudet, 2020. "From Poverty to Disaster and Back: a Review of the Literature," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 223-247, April.
    10. David Matarrita-Cascante & Bernardo Trejos & Hua Qin & Dongoh Joo & Sigrid Debner, 2017. "Conceptualizing community resilience: Revisiting conceptual distinctions," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(1), pages 105-123, January.
    11. Christine Eriksen & Gregory L. Simon & Florian Roth & Shefali Juneja Lakhina & Ben Wisner & Carolina Adler & Frank Thomalla & Anna Scolobig & Kate Brady & Michael Bründl & Florian Neisser & Maree Gren, 2020. "Rethinking the interplay between affluence and vulnerability to aid climate change adaptive capacity," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 25-39, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Beth Tellman & Cody Schank & Bessie Schwarz & Peter D. Howe & Alex de Sherbinin, 2020. "Using Disaster Outcomes to Validate Components of Social Vulnerability to Floods: Flood Deaths and Property Damage across the USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-28, July.
    2. Cibele Oliveira Lima & Jarbas Bonetti, 2020. "Bibliometric analysis of the scientific production on coastal communities’ social vulnerability to climate change and to the impact of extreme events," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 102(3), pages 1589-1610, July.
    3. Oleksandr Didkovskyi & Giovanni Azzone & Alessandra Menafoglio & Piercesare Secchi, 2021. "Social and material vulnerability in the face of seismic hazard: An analysis of the Italian case," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 184(4), pages 1549-1577, October.
    4. Gainbi Park & Zengwang Xu, 2022. "The constituent components and local indicator variables of social vulnerability index," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(1), pages 95-120, January.
    5. Emily Fucile-Sanchez & Meri Davlasheridze, 2020. "Adjustments of Socially Vulnerable Populations in Galveston County, Texas USA Following Hurricane Ike," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-23, August.
    6. Piya, Luni & Maharjan, Keshav Lall & Joshi, Niraj Prakash, 2012. "Vulnerability of rural households to climate change and extremes: Analysis of Chepang households in the Mid-Hills of Nepal," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126191, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Erin C. Pischke & M. Azahara Mesa-Jurado & Amarella Eastmond & Jesse Abrams & Kathleen E. Halvorsen, 2018. "Community perceptions of socioecological stressors and risk-reducing strategies in Tabasco, Mexico," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 8(4), pages 441-451, December.
    8. Uttam K Deb & AKM Nazrul Islam & Muhammad Al Amin & Nusrat Jahan & Ishita Ahmed & Shamma Tabassum & Mazbahul Golam Ahamad & Ashiqun Nabi & Naveen P Singh & Byjesh Kattarkandi & Cynthia Bantilan, 2013. "Vulnerability to Climate Change: Adaptation Strategies and Layers of Resilience-Quantifying Vulnerability to Climate Change in Bangladesh," CPD Report 3, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
    9. Shepherd, Philippa M. & Dissart, Jean-Christophe, 2022. "Reframing vulnerability and resilience to climate change through the lens of capability generation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    10. Dang, Hai-Anh H & Hallegatte, Stephane & Trinh, Trong-Anh, 2023. "Does Global Warming Worsen Poverty and Inequality? An Updated Review," IZA Discussion Papers 16570, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. D. J. Roncancio & A. C. Nardocci, 2016. "Social vulnerability to natural hazards in São Paulo, Brazil," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 84(2), pages 1367-1383, November.
    12. Zachary T. Goodman & Caitlin A. Stamatis & Justin Stoler & Christopher T. Emrich & Maria M. Llabre, 2021. "Methodological challenges to confirmatory latent variable models of social vulnerability," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 106(3), pages 2731-2749, April.
    13. Juri Kim & Tae-Hyoung Tommy Gim, 2020. "Assessment of social vulnerability to floods on Java, Indonesia," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 102(1), pages 101-114, May.
    14. Eno Amos & Uduak Akpan & Kehinde Ogunjobi, 2015. "Households’ perception and livelihood vulnerability to climate change in a coastal area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 887-908, August.
    15. Deressa, Temesgen & Hassan, Rashid M. & Ringler, Claudia, 2008. "Measuring Ethiopian farmers' vulnerability to climate change across regional states:," IFPRI discussion papers 806, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Sara Lindersson & Elena Raffetti & Maria Rusca & Luigia Brandimarte & Johanna Mård & Giuliano Di Baldassarre, 2023. "The wider the gap between rich and poor the higher the flood mortality," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 995-1005, August.
    17. Xuchao Yang & Lin Lin & Yizhe Zhang & Tingting Ye & Qian Chen & Cheng Jin & Guanqiong Ye, 2019. "Spatially Explicit Assessment of Social Vulnerability in Coastal China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-20, September.
    18. Ognjen Žurovec & Sabrija Čadro & Bishal Kumar Sitaula, 2017. "Quantitative Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change in Rural Municipalities of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-18, July.
    19. Tiodora Siagian & Purhadi Purhadi & Suhartono Suhartono & Hamonangan Ritonga, 2014. "Social vulnerability to natural hazards in Indonesia: driving factors and policy implications," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 70(2), pages 1603-1617, January.
    20. Seth E. Spielman & Joseph Tuccillo & David C. Folch & Amy Schweikert & Rebecca Davies & Nathan Wood & Eric Tate, 2020. "Evaluating social vulnerability indicators: criteria and their application to the Social Vulnerability Index," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 100(1), pages 417-436, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7274-:d:584696. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.