"Linking population to environment: Using census data for climate change analysis"

Despite their potential uses for environmental studies and climate change analysis, censuses have not been sufficiently exploited. When they are used, it is primarily to report the most basic population statistics without further analysis of impacts across categories of sex, age or specific vulnerabilities. Most of the countries of the world have conducted or are conducting their 2010 round of censuses. These data can help in the identification of the population (by sex, age and other socio-demographic attributes) living in areas that can be affected by climate-induced disasters. There are any number of reasons why little progress has been made by way of integrating population dynamics into climate change analysis and thinking. The nature of the analysis is interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary analysis is typically more complicated and requires more types of expertise than analysis that is limited to single discipline. It also requires the collaboration of people from different institutions, working usually in silos. Finally, there is not clear guidance on how to do it. This presentation aims to discuss these issues and possible solutions.

Recommended readings:

• The use of population census data for environmental and climate change analysis (Jose Miguel Guzman): http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/G02657.pdf.
• Understanding the impacts of climate change: Linking satellite and other spatial data with population data (Deborah Balk, Mark Montgomery, Gordon McGranahan, Megan Todd): http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/G02658.pdf