Vulnerable Population Groups[1]:
1. Climate change can affect anyone. However, vulnerable population groups expected to be most affected by future hazards, as outlined in the CDP and Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) reporting frameworks, include:
· Women and girls are more vulnerable to climate change based on biophysical characteristics as well as a result of their position in society (often being of lower socioeconomic status in society).
· The elderly population are more likely to be increasingly physically, financially and emotionally at risk to the impact of climate change, largely due to changes in mobility, physiology and restricted access to resources.
· Young children and babies also face disproportionate health effects particularly from heat related impacts as they are dependent on adults to help them adapt in their behaviour and clothing, this can have a detrimental impact on mental health and wellbeing.
· Marginalised/minority communities can be disproportionately affected by climate change. This is generally linked to the vulnerabilities associated with people on lower incomes due to historic and systemic inequalities faced by these communities.
· People with reduced personal mobility, can experience significant levels of vulnerability to changes in climate as a result of limitations presented across local infrastructure and services.
· Existing medical conditions can make individuals more sensitive to climatic changes, increasing the potential for health impacts and worsening symptoms.
· People on low income are less able to deal with climate events as they lack the economic or financial capacity to invest in measures to make their home more resilient or to obtain e.g. flood insurance.
· Tenants in the social and private rented sector are likely to have a lower ability to adapt to climate change and extreme weather events compared to homeowners.
· Outdoor workers are vulnerable to extreme heat and weather events, impacting their occupational health and safety as well as influencing their line of work.
· Health, education and emergency service workers become increasingly vulnerable as climate change exacerbates conditions as they have increased exposure to people suffering from climate induced health problems (e.g., vector-borne diseases), as well as an increase in strain on services due to demand impacting the physical and mental health of frontline workers.