Our conceptual framework and suite of geospatial indicators can empower decision-makers in the following ways:
Help identify communities that may be impacted most
Help prioritize resources and actions for preparedness, response, recovery, and adaptation planning
Provide increased awareness and tracking of sites/waste facilities that may be impacted by worsening extreme events
Assess financial impacts of climate change for contaminated sites/waste facilities
Inform communications for hazard mitigation, post-event response, and recovery
Assess broader resilience of natural, built and social infrastructure to extreme events
Community Vulnerability to Extreme Events:
Considering Waste Management Facilities
The interplay of worsening extreme events, contaminated sites, and disadvantaged communities is a pressing but understudied source of risks to communities worldwide. A conceptual framework and suite of geospatial indicators can empower decision-makers to take effective action. Our method, framework, and indicators can be adapted and applied worldwide.
Conceptual Framework
Extreme events (Box 1) increase the risk of contaminant release from sites/waste facilities (Box 2), which are then transported via air and water (Box 3) potentially exposing nearby communities. Impacts may be higher for community populations who are more sensitive (Box 4). Mappable indicators representing each of these four boxes can help address community planning needs.
Source: Sinha, P., Fry, M., Julius, S., Truesdale, R., Cajka, J., Eddy, M., Doraiswamy, P., Albright, R., Riemenschneider, J., Potzler, M., Lim, B., Richkus, J., & O’Neal, M. (2024). Building resilience to extreme weather events in Phoenix: Considering contaminated sites and disadvantaged communities. Climate Risk Management, 43, 100586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2024.100586