Social vulnerability to climate policies : building a matrix to assess policy impacts on well-being

Abstract

In this article, we address the social vulnerability of people to climate mitigation policies and contribute to assessing the social impacts of climate policies by introducing a matrix tool for conducting vulnerability assessments and participatory climate policy planning. The matrix serves as a methodological tool for identifying social groups in their social spaces. First, we lay the foundation for the matrix by linking social vulnerability to equality and justice, demonstrating the importance of addressing social vulnerability in climate policy design and research. Next, we introduce the ways in which social vulnerability has been addressed in the integration of social and climate policy dimensions in the Nordic welfare states that also serve as the test bed for our contribution. We then establish a methodological tool for assessing and discussing social vulnerability to climate policies, especially with relation to policy impacts on equal opportunities for well-being, and fostering participation in policy planning; a vulnerability matrix. The matrix is flexible, and adjustable to different policy contexts and governance levels. We demonstrate matrix use in the Nordic context, reflect on its potential uses and discuss the benefits and limitations of the matrix as a tool for addressing social vulnerability to climate policies.