On 30th of June, KDIS organized a research seminar on the topic ‘Climate Adaptation and Vulnerable Populations’ by Dr Rachel Krause from the University of Kansas.

KDI School of Public Policy and Management welcomed Dr. Krause, Professor at the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration, for a lecture on how cities account for vulnerable populations in their local climate adaptation strategies. Dr. Krause, whose work explores urban governance, sustainability, and policy tool selection, is a leading researcher in the field of climate policy. She has served as Principal Investigator on several NSF-funded projects and is co-author of ‘Implementing City Sustainability: Overcoming Administrative Silos to Achieve Functional Collective Action’.

The event had a great turnout with both master’s and PhD students across all programs of study attending. The event was highly anticipated amongst students especially those interested in climate change policy. 

With a classroom full of eager students, Dr. Krause began her lecture by giving a brief introduction and proceeded to the presentation. From the onset, she emphasized the importance of understanding the multidimensional nature of vulnerability. She defined it as “the condition determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes which increase susceptibility.” She cautioned against relying solely on demographic categories, explaining that vulnerability is dynamic and intersectional, shaped by a range of contextual and structural factors. “Poor and marginalized communities are the most vulnerable to climate change,” she said. “For many, the impacts have been exacerbated by inappropriate, top-down interventions that lacked local input. These failed efforts often leave a legacy of further challenges for both the people and their governments.” Dr. Krause stressed that involving communities in the design of adaptation strategies is essential, along with ensuring that policies are appropriately scaled and environmentally aligned. Working with, rather than against, nature, she argued, improves both policy effectiveness and local trust. 

To better understand vulnerability and guide policy design, Dr. Krause presented a framework categorizing vulnerability into three dimensions: 

• Normative Vulnerability: Groups traditionally recognized as needing protection such as children, the elderly, refugees, or people with disabilities who are often covered by legal safeguards. 

• Situational Vulnerability: Individuals who become vulnerable due to temporary circumstances, such as disaster victims or patients after an accident. This type of vulnerability is fluid and context-dependent. 

• Universal Vulnerability: The shared human experience of vulnerability, stemming from our exposure to illness, mortality, and emotional dependence. 

This category, Dr. Krause explained, reinforces the ethical foundation for universal rights and protections. Despite growing recognition of the issue, local governments face significant barriers in designing and implementing equitable climate adaptation policies. According to Dr. Krause, supporting vulnerable populations is often not considered “low-hanging fruit.” These efforts are complex, long-term, and resource-intensive. Many municipalities struggle with chronic funding shortages and limited administrative capacity. Additionally, political and economic incentives often do not align with redistributive or equity-focused policies. The existing regulatory frameworks may also unintentionally obstruct targeted efforts aimed at vulnerable populations. 

Dr. Krause shared preliminary findings from her ongoing research on U.S. cities’ responses to climate vulnerability. The study involves surveys distributed to officials in 273 cities with populations over 500,000, with a51% response rate (139 completed surveys). The study also involves  in-depth interviews with the top three management staff in selected departments The study focuses particularly on normative vulnerability and examines how cities identify, prioritize, and allocate resources to various groups. The data will include both descriptive and statistical analysis to better understand patterns in policy choices. 

During the Q&A, Dr. Krause was asked about the role of social construction in determining which groups receive support during climate-related disasters. She acknowledged that perceptions of “deservingness” influence policy decisions and noted that her data shows some vulnerable groups consistently receive more support than others across all states an outcome she attributes to how these populations are framed socially and politically. 

The seminar offered a timely analysis of equity in climate adaptation policy. Dr Krause’s emphasis on grounding policy decisions in contextual understanding of vulnerability and engaging directly with affected communities resonated strongly with attendees.