Spatial Inequalities and the Sensitivity of Social Vulnerability in Ecuador

Vulnerability to hazards is a critical global issue, as it not only depends on the magnitude of natural hazards but also on the underlying social and economic conditions of communities. Understanding these factors is essential for designing effective risk reduction strategies and informed policy decisions. The objective of this research is to define a social vulnerability index (SoVI) and to analyse its distribution at the provincial and urban levels by applying different aggregation methods. This study provides a novel approach by examining the sensitivity of the index to different weighting methodologies, addressing a gap in the literature regarding the robustness of social vulnerability measures. An alternative approach is provided to determine the sensitivity of the SoVI in regions, in addition to understanding the dynamics of the socioeconomic characteristics considered in the territory and contributing to the theoretical and normative discussion of the construction of the index. To meet the objective, a sensitivity analysis is provided through different methods of weighting the vulnerability dimensions. The results indicate that the distribution of the SoVI in the provinces of Ecuador is heterogeneous, highlighting the importance of considering local socioeconomic contexts in vulnerability assessments. Additionally, the study shows that the values of the constructed index are sensitive to the weighting methods of the dimensions, which underscores the need for a careful selection of aggregation techniques to ensure reliable policy implications. It was also possible to identify that when social vulnerability is analysed at the city level, these show higher values than the corresponding provinces, challenging the common assumption that urban areas inherently provide better living conditions. This finding contributes to the ongoing debate on the impacts of rapid urbanization on social vulnerability.