Climate Change, Population Dynamics and Social Vulnerability: Lessons learned from Indonesia and Malawi

The onset of climate change is evident from changing weather patterns and prolonged droughts and floods destabilizing the livelihoods of people in many countries. Population dynamics are linked with the effects of climate change, but these linkages are not static. Changing demographic patterns affect the vulnerability of populations to climate change and their ability adapt to it. To develop effective adaptation policies, one must understand the social and spatial differentials of population vulnerability to climate change. Assessing social vulnerability and equity in the context of climate change is a starting point to identify the needs for climate change adaptation and improve upon it. Indonesia and Malawi are two countries most likely to suffer adverse impacts of climate change because of their vulnerable social and natural systems, multiple interacting stresses and low adaptive capacity. This paper aims to assess the vulnerability to climate change in Indonesia and Malawi through the social vulnerability index approach and show how population growth, composition, ageing and urbanization shape social vulnerability to climate change. The results of the study would also help other developing countries with similar geographic and socio-economic conditions to prepare appropriate strategies for responding to climate change.