Exploring multicriteria flood vulnerability by integrating economic, social and ecological dimensions of flood risk and coping capacity: from a starting point view towards an end point view of vulnerability

Abstract

In this paper, we present an approach to modelling multicriteria flood vulnerability which integrates the economic, social and ecological dimension of risk and coping capacity. We start with an existing multicriteria risk mapping approach. The term risk is used here in a way that could be called a starting point view, looking at vulnerability without considering coping capacities. We extend this approach by a multicriteria modelling of coping capacities towards an end point view of vulnerability. In doing so, we explore a way to differentiate coping capacity from flood risk in each of the dimensions of vulnerability. The approach is tested in an urban case study, the city of Leipzig, Germany. Our results show that it is possible to map multicriteria risks as well as coping capacities and relate them in a simple way. However, a detailed calculation of end point vulnerability would require more detailed knowledge on the causal relationships between risk and coping capacity criteria and their relative importance.

A flood vulnerability index for coastal cities and its use in assessing climate change impacts

“…Vulnerability is considered as the extent of harm, which can be expected under certain conditions of exposure, susceptibility and resilience (Balica et al 2009;Hufschmidt 2011;Scheuer et al 2010;Willroth et al 2010;Fuchs et al 2011). More specifically in the case of floods, a system is susceptible to floods due to exposure in conjunction with its capacity/ incapacity to be resilient, to cope, recover or adapt to the extent.…”

Flood risk assessment using multi-criteria analysis: a case study from Kopili River Basin, Assam, India

“…The flood vulnerability is a function of adaptive capacity, elements at risk, exposure and their susceptibility to flood hazard severities and probability (Scheuer et al 2011). Social vulnerability assessment characterizes the human interaction and their coping capacities in the event of a major disaster, which varies both geographically and temporally.…”

“…(2009) had used the multi-year average precipitation, average number of rainstorm days across the years, topographical factor and flood frequency to derive the flood risk maps. Scheuer et al (2011) had worked on the flood risk assessment by considering social, economic and ecological dimensions of flood risk by drawing a comparison between the starting point (without coping capacities) and endpoint views (with coping capacities). have estimated the village flood risk index for Nagaon district of the Assam state by deriving flood hazard zonation from the historical flood inundations observed during 1998-2007 with population density infrastructure (road network) and land use (cropped areas) as indicators (to classify the villages on various risk severity zones ranging from high to low).…”

Methods and applications for ecological vulnerability evaluation in a hyper-arid oasis: a case study of the Turpan Oasis, China

“…These indexes included natural and social factors, such as elevation, slope, accumulated temperature, drought index, vegetation, soil, water-soil erosion, land use, and population density. Scheuer et al (2011) modeled flood vulnerability by integrating economic, social, and ecological indicators of hazard and response capacity such as residential buildings, land value per floor space, and affected population. The indexes used for the assessment of vulnerability in the oasis usually involve vegetation coverage, landscape fragmentation, desertification sensitivity, soil salinization, grazing capacity, population, and economic pressures.…”