Common But Differentiated Vulnerabilities

Die Vulnerabilitätsdefinition des IPCC und ihre Grenzen

Abstract

This article uses the framework of Catriona Mackenzie’s, Wendy Rogers’ and Susan Dodds’ ontology of vulnerability to examine the IPCC’s definition of vulnerability. By looking at the different components of vulnerability as it is conceptualized by the IPCC it is found that the IPCC’s definition of vulnerability is not able to recognize asymmetries of power that occur during between people reacting to climate change. While the definition is successful at accurately looking at the area of situational vulnerability in regard to climate change, it is not able to provide a tool to analyze pathogenic vulnerability, as it is defined by Mackenzie et al. This limitation is not addressed by the IPCC. The article provides the argument that this limitation of the IPCC’s definition of vulnerability needs to be made explicit in order to enable its discussion.