Reviewing Composite Vulnerability and Resilience Indexes: A Sustainable Approach and Application. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Angeon, Valérie; Bates, Samuel
• Is Part Of: World development. Volume 72(2015)
• Page Start: 140
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: vulnerability -- resilience -- sustainable development -- composite index -- graph theory; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.02.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-750X

Abstract

Highlights: We analyze composite vulnerability–resilience indexes in development economics. A hierarchical multimetric index is provided as a scoreboard for sustainability. By mapping vulnerability–resilience worldwide, policy recommendations are provided. Both vulnerability and resilience are policy-responsive. There is no determinism for a country to remain vulnerable or resilient. Summary: Vulnerability–resilience indexes fail to grasp all dimensions of sustainability, whereas sustainable development has gained momentum. We fill this gap with a hierarchical multimetric composite index (Net Vulnerability Resilience Index: NVRI ) whose robustness relies on a mathematical algorithm based on graph theory. A worldwide application shows that (i) both vulnerability and resilience are policy-responsive and that (ii) there is no determinism for a country to remain vulnerable or resilient. The NVRI enables us to identify a country's strengths and weaknesses and determine the policy orientations that should be implemented to achieve sustainability.