Samhällets Sårbarhet för Klimatförändringarna

Sammanfattning: The effects of the climate changes are expected to generate several substantial direct and indirect consequences on both ecosystems and societies. It is the extent of the negative consequences that determents the vulnerability of the things or the ones exposed. The knowledge of the effects and consequences by a changing climate provides an opportunity to take measures to reduce the vulnerability.Our society’s vulnerability depends on how we choose to act out of the existing knowledge and what measures we choose to take.  Karlstad municipality has good knowledge and perception of the increased flood risks the climate changes will generate and the probable consequences that most likely will follow. How the municipality decides to manage the flooding issue is not just affected by the will to mitigate the vulnerability but also by the vision to increase the number of citizens. Karlstad municipality wants to oblige the citizen’s demand of settlements close to the water in order to reach the aim to gain the population quantity. Hereby attractive areas are developed even though they are estimated to be vulnerable. The motivation is that the knowledge about the flood risks makes it possible to take necessary measures to reduce the risks.