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Reframing vulnerability and resilience to climate change through the lens of capability generation

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  • Shepherd, Philippa M.
  • Dissart, Jean-Christophe

Abstract

The Capability Approach has been applied to themes of human security, community resilience, social differentiation and disaster risks. Where it has had limited application is to socio-ecological system notions of vulnerability and resilience in a global environmental change context. This article attempts to address this gap, asking the question: To what extent is the capability approach a useful normative framework for the analysis of socio-ecological vulnerability and resilience to climate change? We argue that based on recent renditions of capability generation incorporating the environmental dimension, sustainability, collective capability and agency the approach provides an alluring avenue for interpreting vulnerability and resilience from a human development perspective. Drawing on these developments, this article presents a socio-ecological capability generation framework highlighting the interactions that create capability deficiency and sufficiency, capability as the potentiality to cope and adapt, the role of agency as an actualizing process and the notion of “bounded capability-functionings” as a condition of sustainable adaptation. As climate change draws more attention from policymakers, this updated framework is useful as a more people-centred approach to guiding analyses of sensitivities, capacities and opportunities to adapt from a sustainable human development perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Shepherd, Philippa M. & Dissart, Jean-Christophe, 2022. "Reframing vulnerability and resilience to climate change through the lens of capability generation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:201:y:2022:i:c:s092180092200218x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107556
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