O presente trabalho de tese tem como objetivo identificar e compreender os principais fatores que estão subjacentes à formação das situações de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência social entre os agricultores familiares que residem na região do Alto Guaporé, no estado de Mato Grosso, diante das mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Dentro do quadro teórico aqui desenvolvido, as reações ou os ajustamentos a esses processos, mobilizados e traduzidos pela noção de capacidade adaptativa ou de enfrentamento não são condicionadas a previsões ou respostas comportamentais futuras, mas determinadas pela capacidade que indivíduos ou grupos possuem em mobilizar ou transformar os mecanismos necessários que lhes permite contornar e/ou superar as barreiras que os expõem à uma situação de risco. Isso implica em reconhecer que as iniciativas que buscam garantir a subsistência familiar são o resultado objetivo da ação vinculada à experiência cotidiana na interação que ocorre entre os sistemas natural e social e pressupõe a existência de processos de aprendizagem individual e/ou coletiva. Com isso, a partir da identificação das principais estratégias de subsistência mobilizadas pelos agricultores familiares dessa região, foi possível apontar os principais fatores sociais e/ou naturais que constrangem ou mesmo facilitam a produção de respostas às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Como consequência, permitiu que se determinasse quais são os aspectos que caracterizam a vulnerabilidades e como se melhora tanto a capacidade de enfrentamento, quanto a adaptabilidade dos agricultores familiares no Alto Guaporé, num cenário de profunda incerteza e rápida transformação dos fatores que integram os sistemas natural e social. Assim, essa tese trata fundamentalmente da maneira como os agricultores que residem nessa região viabilizam melhores condições de vida e como fazem para garantir o processo de reprodução econômica e assim viabilizar a subsistência familiar. Para tanto, foram realizadas 65 entrevistas com agricultores em cinco diferentes municípios, mas em dois diferentes contextos: aquelas mobilizadas pelos agricultores que se localizam em áreas próximas aos centros urbanos, em distâncias não superiores aos 40 km e as que estão em locais mais distantes, entre 50 e 100 km dos perímetros urbanos. O estudo revelou que alguns aspectos do funcionamento do quadro institucional criam a possibilidade de mobilização de uma diversidade maior de arranjos e formas de produção pelos que integram o primeiro grupo, comparativamente aos que estão submetidos a distâncias maiores. Todavia, essa relação de proximidade não modifica qualitativamente a sua situação de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência. Foram identificadas evidências empíricas que demonstram que em razão da singularidade dos elementos do sistema natural e a experiência passada das famílias em um contexto socioeconômico, elas diferem substancialmente em termos de capacidade de acesso e habilidade de mobilização dos principais fatores que modelam essa competência e exerce uma influência que modifica os fatores que podem expô-los aos riscos e aos perigos que decorrem das transformações no ambiente em sua maneira de garantir a reprodução familiar. Dessa maneira, é possível afirmar que são as condições dos fatores sociais e institucionais que exercem a principal influência na geração de situações que podem implicar numa fragilidade ou mesmo numa incapacidade de enfrentar ou se adaptar às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. / This thesis aims at identifying and understanding the main factors underlying the formation of the situations of vulnerability and social resilience among farmers living in the Alto Guaporé region in the state of Mato Grosso, in relation to the contemporary environmental changes. Within the theoretical framework developed here, reactions or adjustments to these processes, mobilized and translated by the notion of adaptive capacity and coping are not conditioned to forecasts or future behavioral responses, but are determined by the ability that individuals or groups have to mobilize or transform the necessary mechanisms that allow them to bypass and/or overcome the barriers that expose them to a risk situation. This implies recognizing that initiatives that seek to ensure family subsistence are the objective result of the action linked to the everyday experience in the interaction that occurs between the natural and social systems and requires the existence of individuals an/or collective processes. Thus, taking as our starting point the identification of the main subsistence strategies mobilized by the farmers of this region, it was possible to identify the main social and / or natural factors that constrain or even facilitate the production of answers to contemporary environmental changes. As a result, it was possible to determine the aspects that characterize the vulnerabilities as well as to improve the coping ability and the adaptability of farmers in Alto Guaporé, in a scenario of deep uncertainty and rapid transformation of the factors that integrate the natural and social systems. Thus, this thesis mainly deals with the construction of strategies mobilized by farmers living in this region to ensure family subsistence. For this purpose, 65 interviews with farmers were held in five different cities, but in two different contexts: that mobilized by farmers who are located in areas close to urban centers, within no greater distances than 40 km and that afield, between 50 and 100 km from urban perimeters. The study revealed that some aspects of the functioning of the institutional framework create the possibility of mobilizing a greater diversity of arrangements and forms of production by incorporating the first group, compared to those subjected to greater distances. However, this proximity relationship does not qualitatively change their situation of vulnerability and resilience. Empirical evidences were identified, which show that because of the uniqueness of the elements of the natural system and the past experience of families in a socioeconomic context, they differ substantially in terms of access capacity and mobilizing ability of the main factors that shape such competence and exerts an influence that modifies the factors that may expose them to the risks and dangers that arise from changes in the environment in their manner of ensuring social and material reproduction. Thus, it is possible to assert that the conditions of the social and institutional factors exert a major influence on the generation of situations that may involve a weakness or an inability to cope or adapt to contemporary environmental changes.

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O presente trabalho de tese tem como objetivo identificar e compreender os principais fatores que estão subjacentes à formação das situações de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência social entre os agricultores familiares que residem na região do Alto Guaporé, no estado de Mato Grosso, diante das mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Dentro do quadro teórico aqui desenvolvido, as reações ou os ajustamentos a esses processos, mobilizados e traduzidos pela noção de capacidade adaptativa ou de enfrentamento não são condicionadas a previsões ou respostas comportamentais futuras, mas determinadas pela capacidade que indivíduos ou grupos possuem em mobilizar ou transformar os mecanismos necessários que lhes permite contornar e/ou superar as barreiras que os expõem à uma situação de risco. Isso implica em reconhecer que as iniciativas que buscam garantir a subsistência familiar são o resultado objetivo da ação vinculada à experiência cotidiana na interação que ocorre entre os sistemas natural e social e pressupõe a existência de processos de aprendizagem individual e/ou coletiva. Com isso, a partir da identificação das principais estratégias de subsistência mobilizadas pelos agricultores familiares dessa região, foi possível apontar os principais fatores sociais e/ou naturais que constrangem ou mesmo facilitam a produção de respostas às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Como consequência, permitiu que se determinasse quais são os aspectos que caracterizam a vulnerabilidades e como se melhora tanto a capacidade de enfrentamento, quanto a adaptabilidade dos agricultores familiares no Alto Guaporé, num cenário de profunda incerteza e rápida transformação dos fatores que integram os sistemas natural e social. Assim, essa tese trata fundamentalmente da maneira como os agricultores que residem nessa região viabilizam melhores condições de vida e como fazem para garantir o processo de reprodução econômica e assim viabilizar a subsistência familiar. Para tanto, foram realizadas 65 entrevistas com agricultores em cinco diferentes municípios, mas em dois diferentes contextos: aquelas mobilizadas pelos agricultores que se localizam em áreas próximas aos centros urbanos, em distâncias não superiores aos 40 km e as que estão em locais mais distantes, entre 50 e 100 km dos perímetros urbanos. O estudo revelou que alguns aspectos do funcionamento do quadro institucional criam a possibilidade de mobilização de uma diversidade maior de arranjos e formas de produção pelos que integram o primeiro grupo, comparativamente aos que estão submetidos a distâncias maiores. Todavia, essa relação de proximidade não modifica qualitativamente a sua situação de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência. Foram identificadas evidências empíricas que demonstram que em razão da singularidade dos elementos do sistema natural e a experiência passada das famílias em um contexto socioeconômico, elas diferem substancialmente em termos de capacidade de acesso e habilidade de mobilização dos principais fatores que modelam essa competência e exerce uma influência que modifica os fatores que podem expô-los aos riscos e aos perigos que decorrem das transformações no ambiente em sua maneira de garantir a reprodução familiar. Dessa maneira, é possível afirmar que são as condições dos fatores sociais e institucionais que exercem a principal influência na geração de situações que podem implicar numa fragilidade ou mesmo numa incapacidade de enfrentar ou se adaptar às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. / This thesis aims at identifying and understanding the main factors underlying the formation of the situations of vulnerability and social resilience among farmers living in the Alto Guaporé region in the state of Mato Grosso, in relation to the contemporary environmental changes. Within the theoretical framework developed here, reactions or adjustments to these processes, mobilized and translated by the notion of adaptive capacity and coping are not conditioned to forecasts or future behavioral responses, but are determined by the ability that individuals or groups have to mobilize or transform the necessary mechanisms that allow them to bypass and/or overcome the barriers that expose them to a risk situation. This implies recognizing that initiatives that seek to ensure family subsistence are the objective result of the action linked to the everyday experience in the interaction that occurs between the natural and social systems and requires the existence of individuals an/or collective processes. Thus, taking as our starting point the identification of the main subsistence strategies mobilized by the farmers of this region, it was possible to identify the main social and / or natural factors that constrain or even facilitate the production of answers to contemporary environmental changes. As a result, it was possible to determine the aspects that characterize the vulnerabilities as well as to improve the coping ability and the adaptability of farmers in Alto Guaporé, in a scenario of deep uncertainty and rapid transformation of the factors that integrate the natural and social systems. Thus, this thesis mainly deals with the construction of strategies mobilized by farmers living in this region to ensure family subsistence. For this purpose, 65 interviews with farmers were held in five different cities, but in two different contexts: that mobilized by farmers who are located in areas close to urban centers, within no greater distances than 40 km and that afield, between 50 and 100 km from urban perimeters. The study revealed that some aspects of the functioning of the institutional framework create the possibility of mobilizing a greater diversity of arrangements and forms of production by incorporating the first group, compared to those subjected to greater distances. However, this proximity relationship does not qualitatively change their situation of vulnerability and resilience. Empirical evidences were identified, which show that because of the uniqueness of the elements of the natural system and the past experience of families in a socioeconomic context, they differ substantially in terms of access capacity and mobilizing ability of the main factors that shape such competence and exerts an influence that modifies the factors that may expose them to the risks and dangers that arise from changes in the environment in their manner of ensuring social and material reproduction. Thus, it is possible to assert that the conditions of the social and institutional factors exert a major influence on the generation of situations that may involve a weakness or an inability to cope or adapt to contemporary environmental changes.

O presente trabalho de tese tem como objetivo identificar e compreender os principais fatores que estão subjacentes à formação das situações de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência social entre os agricultores familiares que residem na região do Alto Guaporé, no estado de Mato Grosso, diante das mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Dentro do quadro teórico aqui desenvolvido, as reações ou os ajustamentos a esses processos, mobilizados e traduzidos pela noção de capacidade adaptativa ou de enfrentamento não são condicionadas a previsões ou respostas comportamentais futuras, mas determinadas pela capacidade que indivíduos ou grupos possuem em mobilizar ou transformar os mecanismos necessários que lhes permite contornar e/ou superar as barreiras que os expõem à uma situação de risco. Isso implica em reconhecer que as iniciativas que buscam garantir a subsistência familiar são o resultado objetivo da ação vinculada à experiência cotidiana na interação que ocorre entre os sistemas natural e social e pressupõe a existência de processos de aprendizagem individual e/ou coletiva. Com isso, a partir da identificação das principais estratégias de subsistência mobilizadas pelos agricultores familiares dessa região, foi possível apontar os principais fatores sociais e/ou naturais que constrangem ou mesmo facilitam a produção de respostas às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. Como consequência, permitiu que se determinasse quais são os aspectos que caracterizam a vulnerabilidades e como se melhora tanto a capacidade de enfrentamento, quanto a adaptabilidade dos agricultores familiares no Alto Guaporé, num cenário de profunda incerteza e rápida transformação dos fatores que integram os sistemas natural e social. Assim, essa tese trata fundamentalmente da maneira como os agricultores que residem nessa região viabilizam melhores condições de vida e como fazem para garantir o processo de reprodução econômica e assim viabilizar a subsistência familiar. Para tanto, foram realizadas 65 entrevistas com agricultores em cinco diferentes municípios, mas em dois diferentes contextos: aquelas mobilizadas pelos agricultores que se localizam em áreas próximas aos centros urbanos, em distâncias não superiores aos 40 km e as que estão em locais mais distantes, entre 50 e 100 km dos perímetros urbanos. O estudo revelou que alguns aspectos do funcionamento do quadro institucional criam a possibilidade de mobilização de uma diversidade maior de arranjos e formas de produção pelos que integram o primeiro grupo, comparativamente aos que estão submetidos a distâncias maiores. Todavia, essa relação de proximidade não modifica qualitativamente a sua situação de vulnerabilidade e de resiliência. Foram identificadas evidências empíricas que demonstram que em razão da singularidade dos elementos do sistema natural e a experiência passada das famílias em um contexto socioeconômico, elas diferem substancialmente em termos de capacidade de acesso e habilidade de mobilização dos principais fatores que modelam essa competência e exerce uma influência que modifica os fatores que podem expô-los aos riscos e aos perigos que decorrem das transformações no ambiente em sua maneira de garantir a reprodução familiar. Dessa maneira, é possível afirmar que são as condições dos fatores sociais e institucionais que exercem a principal influência na geração de situações que podem implicar numa fragilidade ou mesmo numa incapacidade de enfrentar ou se adaptar às mudanças ambientais contemporâneas. / This thesis aims at identifying and understanding the main factors underlying the formation of the situations of vulnerability and social resilience among farmers living in the Alto Guaporé region in the state of Mato Grosso, in relation to the contemporary environmental changes. Within the theoretical framework developed here, reactions or adjustments to these processes, mobilized and translated by the notion of adaptive capacity and coping are not conditioned to forecasts or future behavioral responses, but are determined by the ability that individuals or groups have to mobilize or transform the necessary mechanisms that allow them to bypass and/or overcome the barriers that expose them to a risk situation. This implies recognizing that initiatives that seek to ensure family subsistence are the objective result of the action linked to the everyday experience in the interaction that occurs between the natural and social systems and requires the existence of individuals an/or collective processes. Thus, taking as our starting point the identification of the main subsistence strategies mobilized by the farmers of this region, it was possible to identify the main social and / or natural factors that constrain or even facilitate the production of answers to contemporary environmental changes. As a result, it was possible to determine the aspects that characterize the vulnerabilities as well as to improve the coping ability and the adaptability of farmers in Alto Guaporé, in a scenario of deep uncertainty and rapid transformation of the factors that integrate the natural and social systems. Thus, this thesis mainly deals with the construction of strategies mobilized by farmers living in this region to ensure family subsistence. For this purpose, 65 interviews with farmers were held in five different cities, but in two different contexts: that mobilized by farmers who are located in areas close to urban centers, within no greater distances than 40 km and that afield, between 50 and 100 km from urban perimeters. The study revealed that some aspects of the functioning of the institutional framework create the possibility of mobilizing a greater diversity of arrangements and forms of production by incorporating the first group, compared to those subjected to greater distances. However, this proximity relationship does not qualitatively change their situation of vulnerability and resilience. Empirical evidences were identified, which show that because of the uniqueness of the elements of the natural system and the past experience of families in a socioeconomic context, they differ substantially in terms of access capacity and mobilizing ability of the main factors that shape such competence and exerts an influence that modifies the factors that may expose them to the risks and dangers that arise from changes in the environment in their manner of ensuring social and material reproduction. Thus, it is possible to assert that the conditions of the social and institutional factors exert a major influence on the generation of situations that may involve a weakness or an inability to cope or adapt to contemporary environmental changes.

On-going and future climate change is universally acknowledged. Climate changeincorporating global mean temperature rise, impacts on global hydrology and ecosystems willaffect human society and global economy. Corporations will encounter a changing world,most likely including negative effects on business and the global markets, influencingdevelopment and economic growth. Some companies will likely face increasing threats, whileothers may be less affected or may even benefit from direct or indirect change.Affected by climate change interruptions to every-day-business may come as a result or evenbe unavoidable in some regions. Business as usual may therefore not be an option. CorporateClimate Change Adaptation offers companies a solution for responding to climate change andthe interconnected uncertainties, adjusting to noticed or expected climate change effects,focusing on avoiding negative consequences and/or possibly taking advantage of newopportunities.With the aim of studying corporate awareness and understanding of climate change as well ason-going Corporate Climate Change Adaptation a case study including interviews with eightSwedish fashion and textile companies was conducted, supplemented by a literature reviewand discussions with line-of-business and monitoring organizations.Presented in this master’s thesis, the study established that Swedish fashion and textilecompanies show awareness and acceptance of the climate change issue, agreeing to thatclimate change will have ecological and social consequences. However, Swedish fashion andtextile companies, portraying a greatly varying focus on climate change issues, seem only toshow limited understanding of climate change effects regarding natural resources, and docommonly not connect climate change to their own status, to their business activities,processes, supply chains or corporate needs. Displaying low proactivity none of theinvestigated eight Swedish fashion and textile companies had started to adapt to on-going orfuture climate change or plan for future adaptation. The Swedish fashion and textilecompanies, it seems, will need an alarum for the process of Corporate Climate ChangeAdaptation to start.

This thesis investigates the adaptation to climate change that is taking place in the WaterSupply and Waste Water (WSW) sector of the Stockholm Region. The adaptation processis analyzed in terms of building adaptive capacity and implementing adaptive decisions.Theories on organizational learning and the concept of an organization’s adaptation spaceare used to understand the factors that influence the adaptation process and the capacityof the studied WSW organizations to adapt to climate change. A case study approach hasbeen used and by focusing the research on four regional WSW organizations – thatcomprise a majority of the region’s WSW activities – it is argued that conclusionsrelevant to the region’s WSW sector as a whole can be made. Semi-structured interviewswith the complete management board – in three out of four organizations – and officialdocuments and reports, are the main sources of primary data for the analysis.The results show that adaptation to climate change is occuring in the WSW sector of theStockholm Region. The adaptation is mainly taking the form of building adaptivecapacity and there is only limited evidence of implementation of adaptive decisions. Theresearch suggests that there are few technical and organizational limitations foradaptation to take place and that the main factors influencing the adaptation space of thesector is how the climate change issue and risks are interpreted and perceptions of howthe WSW organizations should function and use their limited economical resources. Twoconclusions are drawn from these results: first, factors influencing the feasibility andattractiveness of different adaptation options need to be included and analysed in order tounderstand the actual adaptation space of an organization. Second, due to the factorsidentified as influencing the adaptation space, it is unlikely, at present, that robustinfrastructure solutions – which have been suggested in the literature as a viable way todeal with the intrinsic uncertainties related to climate change – can be implemented in theWSW sector of the Stockholm Region solely due to concerns of climate change.

Climate change is already having a powerful effect on many areas through superstorms and flooding events. The flooding from tropical storm Irene in 2011 took Vermont by surprise, sparking momentum for change. While adaptive capacity as a response to climate change is vital, in many cases it may not be enough. This thesis developed an analytical framework for assessing transformative capacities from a linked social-ecological system perspective. By combining the literatures of transition management and resilience transformations, a cohesive framework emerged, with a scope incorporating multiple interacting scales and phases of transformation.  The findings suggest a multiplicity of capacities are activated in a post-disaster setting, with networks, bridging organizations, and leaders as primary for restorative, adaptive, and transformative capacity activation, while innovation and obstacle negotiating as primary foci for informal networks and experimentation. Broadly, the framework when applied spatially (multi-scale) and temporally (multi-phase) was effective in uncovering dynamics of change processes. Additionally, a foundation of social, economic, and cultural aspects was shown to be influential in the development and mobilization of capacities, including community resilience, place attachment, and the long-term viability of the economic sector. This study makes a theoretical contribution by linking transitions and transformations literatures in a single framework, which can be tested in further studies.

Major global problems, manifested by climate change and social inequality, reinforce the need for a societal shift towards sustainable practices. This transition requires new approaches in the future design of society. The current energy system, based on fossil fuels and centralized infrastructure is a key contributor to many of the socio-ecological issues related to the sustainability challenge. The intent of this research is to examine renewable energy cooperatives as an alternative to minimize the negative impacts of the current energy system. Using a Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach with a Resilience Attribute Framework, this research explored the presence of resilience attributes (Trust, Diversity, Learning and Self-organization) and sustainability behavior in renewable energy cooperatives. The research then explored, through interview and surveys, the perceived impacts that these cooperatives had on the resilience and sustainability behavior of the wider community. Findings showed that energy cooperatives displayed high levels of the resilience through the attributes of: - Trust: due to non-profit status, ownership structure, localisation and shared values - Diversity: due to member and service diversity - Learning: through collaboration, diverse member knowledge and participation - Self-organization: due to cooperative development, leadership and outcomes (infrastructure and energy knowledge). This study showed that renewable energy cooperatives have numerous impacts on their community however; there were no significant evidence to suggest energy cooperatives transferred their high levels of social resilience to the community.

Pauvreté et changements climatiques sont parmi les défis majeurs du 21ème siècle. L’idée selon laquelle la pauvreté représente une contrainte pour la capacité d’adaptation aux changements climatiques est répandue dans la littérature et validée par le GIEC. Cependant, la plupart des études se concentrent sur les ressources financières, ignorant la nature multidimensionnelle de la pauvreté. Cette thèse explore la relation entre pauvreté et capacité d’adaptation en utilisant une enquête par questionnaire menée dans la commune rurale de Djougou (Nord Bénin) auprès de 1102 ménages agricoles. Trois mesures de pauvreté (monétaire, multidimensionnelle et traditionnelle) sont comparées à deux proxys de la capacité d’adaptation potentielle des exploitants (innovations agricoles au cours des dix dernières années et stratégies perçues en cas de mauvaise récolte). On observe une divergence entre mesures de pauvreté dans l’identification des ménages pauvres. En particulier, les ménages multi-privés apparaissent comme les mieux dotés en actifs traditionnels. Les privations subies par les ménages affectent à la fois leur capacité d’innovation et leur capacité de réponse perçue. Une amélioration des ressources financières est associée avec davantage d’innovations, mais seulement pour les ménages les plus pauvres. Il est également montré que dans un contexte de pauvreté rurale, le capital social joue un rôle d’ajustement important pour l’adaptation des exploitants. Ces résultats suggèrent l’importance d’une lecture multidimensionnelle de la pauvreté pour la mise en oeuvre des politiques d’adaptation aux effets des changements climatiques. / Poverty and climate change are two of the most urgent issues facing the world. The view that poverty represents a constraint for household’s adaptive capacities is widely accepted in the climate change literature. However, most research has focused on financial resources, thus ignoring the multidimensional nature of poverty. In this study, a cross-sectional survey is used to explore the relationship between poverty and adaptive capacities in northern Benin. Three measures of poverty (monetary, multidimensional and traditional) were calculated along with two indicators of adaptive capacities (farm-associated changes and perceived coping strategies). A significant lack of overlap was found between the three poverty indices. Multiple deprivations are negatively associated with both crop-related changes and perceived coping strategies. Improved economic status, through monetary or traditional asset growth, is associated with increased innovations, but only for the poorest households. Results of the multivariate analysis also suggest that in a context of rural poverty, social capital plays an important, and potentially compensating role in fostering adaptive capacities. Overall, this study illustrates that a purely economic view, most often relying on a single poverty measure, is insufficient to understand the complexity of the poverty-adaptive capacity nexus. Farmers engage in several adaptation strategies given their resources - and these resources are economic as well as social.

This thesis examines the susceptibility of human health to climate-related stresses in the rural municipality of Addington Highlands, Ontario. Human health is sensitive to climatic variations and change, and public health systems play a role in managing climate-related risks. Canada is generally deemed to have considerable capacity to adapt to vulnerabilities associated with climate change, yet there is variability among communities in their exposure and ability to manage health risks. This thesis examines the health-related vulnerability of the community of Addington Highlands. Drawing upon data gained from key informant interviews and newspaper articles, as well as other secondary data sources, the thesis documents climate-related health risks, outlines the programs and services available to deal with those risks, and assesses the capacity of the community to adapt to future climate conditions and risks. Conditions such as storms, heat stress and forest fires currently present health risks in the area, and they are expected to become more prevalent with climate change. The health risks of Lyme disease, West Nile virus and algal blooms are likely to increase in the future as the climate continues to change. Adaptation to these risks is evident in several of Addington Highlands public health and emergency management programs. The community’s adaptive capacity is strengthened by its social networks and institutional flexibility, but it is constrained by its aging population, limits to the availability and access to health care services, and challenges relating to the retention of service providers. An important strategy to assist adaptation to climate change risks to health is the promotion of public awareness, a strategy to which this research contributes. This thesis research serves to identify and better understand vulnerabilities, and help stimulate actions toward preparing Addington Highlands for possible future climate-related risks.