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The EVI uses 50
smart indicators for estimating the vulnerability of the
environment of a country to future shocks. It is
reported simultaneously as a single dimensionless index,
several sub-indices, and as a profile showing the
results for each indicator, allowing users to assess
overall conditions and then drill-down to identify
issues. This means that in addition to an overall signal
of vulnerability, the EVI can be used to identify
specific problems. It has been designed to reflect the
status of a country’s environmental vulnerability, which
refers to the extent to which the natural environment is
prone to damage and degradation. It does not address the
vulnerability of the social, cultural or economic
systems, and not the environment that has become
dominated by human systems (e.g. cities, farms).
Indicators for the EVI were selected to characterise the
risks to and resilience / vulnerability of the complex
interactive and hierarchical natural systems that
support countries. Data are collected for each indicator
and located within an EVI scale which ranges between 1 -
7, where the value EVI = 1 indicates low vulnerability
or high resilience, and EVI = 7 indicates extreme
vulnerability for a country relating to an indicator.
The EVI results
for 2004 categorise countries into 5 vulnerability
groups ranging from Extremely vulnerable, Highly
vulnerable, Vulnerable, At risk and Resilient. The EVI
results are based on publicly available datasets as well
as data compiled from 32 collaborating countries. The
results include an overall listing of countries and
their vulnerability status, as well as country reports
that detail the results for a single country. The
country reports, in addition to the overall EVI scores,
provide information on 7 policy-relevant sub-indices,
including aspects of vulnerability related to climate
change; exposure to natural disasters; human health;
agriculture and fisheries; water resources; and
desertification and biodiversity. A detailed breakdown
of the 50 indicators is also provided with a list of
those issues contributing the most to a country’s
vulnerability, as well as those aspects of greatest
resilience that could be preserved. The EVI is now ready
for application. In the pages that follow we present the
first full evaluation of the EVI, and result sheets for
selected countries, particularly SIDS. |
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The
Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) 2004. SOPAC
Technical Report 384.