Die Bedeutung von Vulnerabilität und Resilienz in der transformativen Klimaanpassung

Leerstellen und Entwicklungspotenziale

Abstract

Vulnerability and resilience are key terms in the young concept of transformative climate adaptation. Due to the popular and at the same time very vague usage of these terms, the concept is at risk of degenerating into yet another buzzword. In order to sharpen this concept, the paper examines the understanding of vulnerability and resilience in transformative climate adaptation. Due to the great centrality of vulnerability, exemplary gaps of the concept are identified and initial ideas for further development are presented based on political‑ecological approaches. The study shows that a closer look on vulnerability reveals an initial picture of a social understanding of vulnerability that centers an unequal distribution of power. However, aspects of global, historical and economic embedding, intersectional linkages and relation to environment are mostly neglected. Drawing on political-ecological work, it is argued that greater consideration of existing vulnerability research can make an important contribution to sharpening the understanding of vulnerability, and that further research is therefore needed.