In the wake of devolution and decentralisation in Pakistan there is a
greater need to devise localised vulnerability to climate change indices as an
easy reference for both policy-makers and the development sector. While global
vulnerability indices are commercially motivated and based on country level
data, ranking the degree of vulnerability to climate change across nations
represents a ‘number’ aimed at directing, inter alia, development, disaster and
aid efforts among countries. These indices however, fail to highlight subnational
vulnerabilities existing within countries being ranked. Using the IPCC’s
definitions of vulnerability in the context of climate change as a reference
source, this study devises a district level vulnerability to climate change index
for 22 districts of Pakistan. The Index shows that there exists a varying degree
of vulnerability between districts and a further variation across the rural and
urban divide of each district.