Towards a European wide vulnerability framework

This report presents a cross-scale indicator for measuring vulnerability at the European level. The indicator is composed of four dimensions (social, economic, political and environmental) and is meant to capture the systemic vulnerability to disasters at different administrative levels. The study derives an index with values between 0 and 10, which encloses the four dimensions in a multi-level approach. The analyses presented build on the data and the vulnerability framework implemented in the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre (DRMKC) Risk Data Hub (RDH) for the assessment of disaster risk from multiple hazards across Europe.

Vulnerability is one of the three risk components considered in disaster risk assessment, together with hazard and exposure. Since the occurrence and severity of natural hazards cannot be reduced, reducing vulnerability is one of the main opportunities for reducing disaster risk.