Assessing Climate Vulnerabilities in Rural and Low-Income Regions: A Case Study of the Western Upper Peninsula

Low-income and rural regions may be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because they face challenges in accessing resources and systemic exclusion from climate planning coupled with other geographical, geological, and social factors. Climate vulnerability assessments (CVAs) offer a logical framework for assessing the potential impacts of climate change on socio-ecological systems and provide a scientific basis for developing adaptation strategies. Using secondary data from scholarly papers, online publications, government documents, official reports, and relevant news items, the study investigates Michigan’s Western Upper Peninsula’s (WUP) vulnerability to climate change and climate variability. The study is guided by a conceptual framework highlighting the climatic and non-climatic factors influencing and impacting exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in assessing vulnerability toward resilience building and adaptation planning. The study found that access to financial resources, diversified livelihoods, and climate-literate social networks will reduce vulnerabilities in the WUP. In contrast, aging population, aging infrastructure, poverty, financial resource constraints, energy service outages, institutional mistrust, low health service density, and pollution remnants from mining legacies contribute to climate vulnerabilities in the WUP. The vulnerability of the rural and low-income community should be addressed through just and equitable policy and strategies.