Socioeconomic Vulnerability to Natural Hazards: A Case Study of Oslo, Norway

Socioeconomic vulnerability analysis evaluates the extent to which a community or region is susceptible to the adverse impacts of natural disasters, considering the specific social and economic characteristics of the community. This study examines the socioeconomic vulnerability of the City of Oslo, Norway, to natural hazards using two distinct indexes: the Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI), which distinguishes the population considered as socially vulnerable (due to variables such as age and gender), and the Socio-Economic Status Index (SESI), which incorporates the social and economic status of the total population. The findings revealed that, while the least vulnerable subdistricts varied only slightly between the two indexes, the distribution of the most vulnerable subdistricts remained largely consistent. The measurement of socioeconomic status, rather than the extent of social vulnerability in the SESI, highlighted additional social aspects of vulnerability. Additionally, some variables contributed to the indexes in ways that contradicted expectations, likely due to theoretical inconsistencies in the index methodologies. Both indexes play a critical role in disaster risk management by capturing certain epistemic uncertainties arising from limitations in data and knowledge. However, it is important to note that any index provides only a static picture of vulnerability, offering an initial estimate of the conditions that may increase susceptibility to hazards. It does not fully reflect the dynamic nature of risk and resilience, which should be considered when engaging with disaster management authorities.