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Social vulnerability indexes as planning tools: beyond the preparedness paradigm

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  • José Manuel de Oliveira Mendes

Abstract

This article draws from the experience of the ongoing drafting of the Regional Plan of the Centre Region of Portugal, and the empirical application of the Social Vulnerability Index proposed by Susan Cutter. It consists in the construction of an index of social vulnerability to natural and technological hazards and to social risks for all the municipalities of the region. Methodologically, it extends the vulnerability analysis to technological hazards and social risks, as a more encompassing view is necessary for the elaboration of prevention and civil protection policies. The results confirm the interactive nature of social vulnerability, and they also reflect the diffuse urbanisation and industrialisation patterns that characterise Portugal. The scattered nature of social facilities and security and health infrastructures pose specific challenges to planners concerning risk prevention and mitigation, and the elaboration of effective risk communication strategies adapted to specific hazards and risks in the studied municipalities. The article concludes with some reflections on the need to revise established paradigms of disaster analysis and emphasise the importance of pre-event planning and the social cartography of vulnerable populations for effective prevention and security policies that take into account social inequalities and citizenship rights.

Suggested Citation

  • José Manuel de Oliveira Mendes, 2009. "Social vulnerability indexes as planning tools: beyond the preparedness paradigm," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 43-58, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:12:y:2009:i:1:p:43-58
    DOI: 10.1080/13669870802447962
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    1. Anjum Tasnuva & Md. Riad Hossain & Roquia Salam & Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam & Muhammad Mainuddin Patwary & Sobhy M. Ibrahim, 2021. "Employing social vulnerability index to assess household social vulnerability of natural hazards: an evidence from southwest coastal Bangladesh," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 10223-10245, July.
    2. Sarah Stafford & Jeremy Abramowitz, 2017. "An analysis of methods for identifying social vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise: a case study of Hampton Roads, Virginia," 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. 85(2), pages 1089-1117, January.
    3. Eric Tate, 2012. "Social vulnerability indices: a comparative assessment using uncertainty and sensitivity analysis," 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. 63(2), pages 325-347, September.
    4. Esfandiar Zebardast, 2013. "Constructing a social vulnerability index to earthquake hazards using a hybrid factor analysis and analytic network process (F’ANP) model," 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. 65(3), pages 1331-1359, February.
    5. Krista Danielle S. Yu & Raymond R. Tan & Kathleen B. Aviso & Michael Angelo B. Promentilla & Joost R. Santos, 2014. "A Vulnerability Index For Post-Disaster Key Sector Prioritization," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 81-97, March.
    6. Mar Llorente-Marrón & Montserrat Díaz-Fernández & Paz Méndez-Rodríguez & Rosario González Arias, 2020. "Social Vulnerability, Gender and Disasters. The Case of Haiti in 2010," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, April.
    7. 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.
    8. Kelly Bergstrand & Brian Mayer & Babette Brumback & Yi Zhang, 2015. "Assessing the Relationship Between Social Vulnerability and Community Resilience to Hazards," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 391-409, June.
    9. Christopher G. Burton & Miguel Toquica & Khan Mortuza Bin Asad & Michael Musori, 2022. "Validation and development of composite indices for measuring vulnerability to earthquakes using a socio-economic perspective," 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. 111(2), pages 1301-1334, March.
    10. Pedro Pinto Santos & Alexandre Oliveira Tavares & Paula Freire & Ana Rilo, 2018. "Estuarine flooding in urban areas: enhancing vulnerability assessment," 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. 93(1), pages 77-95, September.
    11. Daminda Solangaarachchi & Amy Griffin & Michael Doherty, 2012. "Social vulnerability in the context of bushfire risk at the urban-bush interface in Sydney: a case study of the Blue Mountains and Ku-ring-gai local council areas," 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. 64(2), pages 1873-1898, November.
    12. J. Connor Darlington & Niko Yiannakoulias & Amin Elshorbagy, 2022. "Changes in social vulnerability to flooding: a quasi-experimental analysis," 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. 111(3), pages 2487-2509, April.
    13. Alexandre Oliveira Tavares & José Leandro Barros & Angela Santos, 2017. "Multidimensional Approach for Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment: Framing the Territorial Impacts in Two Municipalities in Portugal," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(4), pages 788-811, April.
    14. 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.
    15. Amanullah Mengal & Katsuichiro Goda & Muhammad Ashraf & Ghulam Murtaza, 2021. "Social vulnerability to seismic-tsunami hazards in district Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan," 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. 108(1), pages 1159-1181, August.
    16. Sarvin ZamanZad-Ghavidel & Omid Bozorg-Haddad & Erfan Goharian, 2021. "Sustainability assessment of water resource systems using a novel hydro-socio-economic index (HSEI)," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 1869-1916, February.
    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.

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