Abstract
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (VA) tools for forest ecosystems and forest-dependent communities are important for making decisions and understanding the impact of climate change on both social and natural systems. However, the tools are poorly coordinated, making it difficult for policymakers to carry out VAs properly. The aim of this study was to analyze VA literature worldwide to find representative case studies in terms of methods and tools applied and which have been successful in performing VAs on forests and forest-dependent communities. All successful VA studies analyzed had common characteristics such as significant funding, data availability and technical capacity. An additional characteristic was the development of an integrated approach that considered the vulnerability of both ecosystems and communities by combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Community members and relevant stakeholders were significantly involved in a participatory process that concluded with the identification of adaptation measures. The case studies also revealed how policymakers need to choose suitable methods and tools to undertake efficient assessment of vulnerabilities. They need to consider several aspects of the VA process such as subject matter, availability of resources, time and scale.
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Acknowledgements
The research leading to these results comes from one of the most important activities of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, its Forest and Climate Change Programme. This paper reflects the views of the authors only, and the FAO will not be liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. The results of this study were first summarized in a Master’s thesis entitled “Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments of forests and forest-dependent people” at the Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). The authors would like to thank the FAO Forestry Department for the opportunity to conduct the research and for their support.
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Guidi, C., Di Matteo, G. & Grego, S. An overview of proven Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment tools for forests and forest-dependent communities across the globe: a literature analysis. J. For. Res. 29, 1167–1175 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0611-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0611-z