Vulnerability and AdaptiveVulnerability and Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change in

Coastal Communities ofthe Dominican Republicthe Dominican Republic

Hilary Lohmann Global Foundation for Democracy and G y

Development Fellow1 October, 2015

“We need to acknowledge that somethingWe need to acknowledge that something new is happening and that we need to change the way we anticipate and respondchange the way we anticipate and respond to these kinds of problems. The consequences of climate stress areconsequences of climate stress are preventable, they are not inevitable.”

D M k L C t f I t ti l E th S i I f ti

Addressing Climate RisksAddressing Climate Risks

People’s capacity to adapt to shifting andPeople s capacity to adapt to shifting and emerging climate conditions may be most important, most effectively addressed byimportant, most effectively addressed by

policy

Understanding Vulnerability d Ad i C iand Adaptive Capacity

Vulnerability: susceptibility to disturbancesVulnerability: susceptibility to disturbancesAdaptive Capacity: ability to respond & cope Resilience: ability to maintain, or return to, a

stable state after a disturbance

Adaptive CapacityCapacity

Dominican Republic

Image: Destination360

Communities are integrated systems

of individuals with diverse livelihoods thatdirectly (e.g. fishermen, tour operators) andindirectly (e.g. shop owners and operators)

rely on natural resources for security and well-being

Research Questions:1. What factors characterize vulnerability and adaptive capacity in Dominican coastal communities?2. Do these factors vary between direct resource users and non-direct resource users? 3. Do these factors vary amongst individuals who do y gand do not share household responsibility for income?

What are the factors that characterize vulnerabilityand adaptive capacity in Dominican coastal communities?

*FLEXIBILITY**SECURITY*

Abilit t l & i E l tAbility to plan & reorganize Employment securityAttachment to occupation Employability

Do these factors vary between direct resource users and non-direct resource users?

*Attachment to Occupation*

HIGHER for direct resource usersHIGHER for direct resource users• Affects willingness to make changes• Lower adaptive capacity when climate change

and/or limited resource availability reduces productivity income

Do these factors vary amongst individuals who do and do not share household responsibility forand do not share household responsibility for

income?*Financial Security*Financial Security

LOWER for sole income providersLOWER for sole income providers• Affects ability to adapt• An individual’s occupation is just one part of a• An individual s occupation is just one part of a

broader network of income and resource sharing within households.

Implications

Ad tiAdaptive Capacity

R d i V l bilit bReducing Vulnerability by Bolstering Adaptive Capacity

How to build Resilience generally?How to build Resilience, generally?Individuals in coastal communities of the Dominican Republic share many of the same characteristics of vulnerability and adaptive capacity, regardless of employment sector or other categorization.employment sector or other categorization.

It is important to consider all stakeholders becauseIt is important to consider all stakeholders because climate change will have impacts that affect the occupations of many people within coastal communities.

How to build Resilience, specifically?specifically?

*FLEXIBILITY*

Alternative

*SECURITY*

Providing aAlternative options (livelihoods, education

Providing a small financial safety net to jumpstart alternativeeducation

and/or training) may be better received by

alternative occupational initiatives and buffer from the

individuals who have not yet entered, or are not yet fully

risk of financial collapse or debt may make a big difference tonot yet fully

integrated into, a resource-dependent

difference to households who are interested in, but feel

bl t d tdependent occupation. unable to, adapt

by making changes in livelihoods.

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsDr. Tracey Dalton, University of Rhode Islandof Rhode Island

Dr. Rubén Torres, Reef Check Dominican Rep blicCheck Dominican Republic

Foundation for Global D d D l tDemocracy and Development