The latest question from the Georgia Climate Project’s Roadmap discusses how we can determine what impacts changes in climate will have on at-risk communities like the rural poor, the elderly, and urban city dwellers. We need to know what data sets we can use before we can determine what those impacts might be. You can see all 40 Roadmap questions at https://roadmap.georgiaclimateproject.org/.
34. What are the appropriate datasets and methods to assess the susceptibility of at-risk communities in Georgia to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change?
Why this question is important: There is an extensive body of scientific studies that document that people of color and low-income people live in communities that are adversely impacted by a disproportionate level of environmental pollution (Bullard 2008; Collins et al. 2016; Mohai and Saha 2007; Mohai et al. 2009). Climate change could lead to increasing exposure to hazards among these communities, exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, and hinder their capacity to cope (United Nations Human Development Programme 2007; United Nations Human Development Programme 2014; Gamble et al. 2016). Some data relevant to assessing susceptibility, vulnerability, and resilience are available through traditional sources and are reported by statistical agencies, but other data are also necessary. Generating the most relevant data may require developing collaborative data collection platforms with stakeholders in local communities.
