Leveraging Earth Observation to Assess Socio-economic Vulnerability

Assessing socio-economic vulnerability remains a key challenge in climate risk analysis, as vulnerability is traditionally grounded in social science concepts that are difficult to quantify spatially and consistently. This research explores how Earth observation (EO) data can contribute to assessing socio-economic vulnerability by identifying EO-derived indicators that serve as proxies for social and economic dimensions of risk.

Building on the ESA-funded EO4MULTIHAZARDS project, the study investigates how remotely sensed data can complement conventional socio-economic datasets to represent complex human systems, including exposure patterns, infrastructure quality, access constraints, and indicators of deprivation. By systematically linking EO-derived variables with established vulnerability frameworks, the research tests innovative methods to bridge physical observation and human-centred climate risk assessment.

The work aims to advance interdisciplinary approaches to climate risk analysis by demonstrating how EO-based proxies can support equity-focused adaptation planning, place-based and inclusive climate resilience strategies, and local and regional decision-making under data scarcity. By translating physical observations into representations of socio-economic conditions, the study contributes to closing the gap between hazard-focused risk assessments and actionable, human-centred climate adaptation strategies.