(^172) Vulnerable Groups Human Development Report - Croatia 2008
10.3. Next steps
Perhaps not surprisingly, vulnerable groups in Croatia
are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate
variability and to the potential effects of future climate
change. Vulnerable groups are essentially caught in a vi-
cious circle. They are disproportionately exposed to the
effects of climate impacts through their work in weath-
er-dependent industries, their reliance on subsistence
farming, or their increased sensitivity to heat waves. At
the same time, they are the least able to adapt to the
effects of climate impacts -- by changing employment,
moving to a different area, participating in re-training
programmes, or gaining access to credit or savings.
Further research could address the following issues:
- An assessment of weather-dependent industries,
their employment structures, and their regional
Vulnerable
groups in
Croatia are also
particularly
vulnerable to the
effects of climate
variability and
to the potential
effects of future
climate changedistribution, to provide a better understanding of
potential climate impacts- The impact of weather-dependent industries on in-
come and relative access to benefits - The direct health effects of climate extremes on
vulnerable groups such as the elderly and how to
prevent these effects - Gender implications in industry, health, and among
the elderly
In the meantime, policy-makers should act now to
ensure that regional development strategies, particu-
larly in regions where weather-dependent industries
are prevalent, take climate-related considerations into
account. In addition, they can incorporate the current
findings on climate variability and projected trends in
climate change into poverty reduction strategies.