Presenter: Madzie Boyles, Colorado State University
Presenter’s Bio:
Madzie Boyles is a graduating senior at Colorado State University studying Sustainability Science and Geospatial Science. This project is their undergraduate honors thesis, and reflects their interest in using mapping to address climate justice issues.
The advisors for this project were Prof. Elizabeth Tulanowski and Dr. John Lindenbaum at Colorado State University.
Session Time:
May 10, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Location:
Shively room
Session Abstract:
Differential vulnerability to climate change is the combination of social and climate factors that change how climate change affects a population. Within urban areas, such as Houston, Texas, differential vulnerability leads to inequitable access of climate mitigation and adaptation resources and in some cases, climate migration, or the movement of people due to environmental factors. Past studies in climate vulnerability and climate migration do not provide data analysis at a city-wide scale, and do not always include both climate and social data in their creation. Houston is very affected by sea level rise, extreme weather events, and drought due to climate change, prompting an in-depth analysis of climate vulnerability. This study developed a climate vulnerability index for each census tract in Houston, Texas through the weighted overlay of 39 social and environmental variables, yielding three climate vulnerability models. When weighted towards social data, climate vulnerability values for each census tract were higher overall. Understanding these data is imperative to address the disproportionate effects both climate risk and socioeconomic risk have on the geographic distributions of climate change impact, which can then be used to address climate migration challenges such as trapped populations, areas better equipped to support incoming migrants, and undesirable locations to live in a changing climate.
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