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The GDL Vulnerability Index (GVI)

Author

Listed:
  • Jeroen Smits

    (Radboud University)

  • Janine Huisman

    (Radboud University)

Abstract

In this paper we present the GDL Vulnerability Index (GVI), a new composite index to monitor and analyse the human components of vulnerability to climate change, natural disasters, and other kinds of shocks, for societies and geographic areas across the globe. The GVI is a simple and flexible index designed for use by experts as well as non-experts in the climate field, including researchers, (local) politicians, NGO’s, journalists, advocacy groups and grassroot movements. The GVI is based on an additive formula that summarizes the essence of seven socioeconomic dimensions of vulnerability into a single number. This formula approach sets this index apart from other existing indices. Any person who knows the values of the underlying indicators can compute the vulnerability score of an area by filling in these values in the GVI formula. Validity tests show that the data-driven GVI measures the vulnerability dimensions coping capacity, adaptive capacity and susceptibility as well as major expert-based indices. This offers great prospects for use in situations where no other vulnerability information is available. Here we explain the construction of the GVI, test its validity and present GVI values for (almost) all countries of the world and for major global regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeroen Smits & Janine Huisman, 2024. "The GDL Vulnerability Index (GVI)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(2), pages 721-741, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:174:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-024-03399-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-024-03399-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Huisman, Janine & Smits, Jeroen, 2009. "Effects of Household- and District-Level Factors on Primary School Enrollment in 30 Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 179-193, January.
    2. Matthias Garschagen & Deepal Doshi & Jonathan Reith & Michael Hagenlocher, 2021. "Global patterns of disaster and climate risk—an analysis of the consistency of leading index-based assessments and their results," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 1-19, November.
    3. David E. Sahn & David Stifel, 2003. "Exploring Alternative Measures of Welfare in the Absence of Expenditure Data," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 49(4), pages 463-489, December.
    4. Simone Ghislandi & Warren C. Sanderson & Sergei Scherbov, 2019. "A Simple Measure of Human Development: The Human Life Indicator," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(1), pages 219-233, March.
    5. Marina Andrijevic & Jesus Crespo Cuaresma & Tabea Lissner & Adelle Thomas & Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, 2020. "Overcoming gender inequality for climate resilient development," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. David McKenzie, 2005. "Measuring inequality with asset indicators," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 18(2), pages 229-260, June.
    7. 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.
    8. Jeroen Smits & Roel Steendijk, 2015. "The International Wealth Index (IWI)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 65-85, May.
    9. Guido Kraemer & Markus Reichstein & Gustau Camps-Valls & Jeroen Smits & Miguel D. Mahecha, 2020. "The Low Dimensionality of Development," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 999-1020, August.
    10. 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.
    11. Sébastien Dujardin & Damien Jacques & Jessica Steele & Catherine Linard, 2020. "Mobile Phone Data for Urban Climate Change Adaptation: Reviewing Applications, Opportunities and Key Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, February.
    12. Iñaki Permanyer & Jeroen Smits, 2020. "Inequality in Human Development across the Globe," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(3), pages 583-601, September.
    13. Eastin, Joshua, 2018. "Climate change and gender equality in developing states," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 289-305.
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