D4.5: Vulnerability and Resilience Performance

This report is based on empirical research carried out as a part of the research task T4.5. The research utilises findings from the inventory of mountain value chains in Europe (T4.1) and the extended analysis of VC-A in reference regions (T4.2 -T4.5). Conceptualisation of the empirical study draws on the conceptual-analytical framework developed within the WP2 (Moretti et al. 2021).

The general objective of the study is to evaluate the vulnerability and resilience of the value chain assemblage to climate and other changes within the Mountain Reference Landscape (MRL) by assessing responses to drivers in the past and up to the present day. 

The structure of the report follows a similar logic. After introducing the main objectives (Chapter 2), key concepts implemented in the study (Chapter 3) and methods (Chapter 4), a detailed view of existing threats and their impacts (Chapter 5) is provided. This is followed by the overviewed resources for developing adaptive strategies (Chapter 6) and the possibilities of the actors to utilise them. Information about the vulnerability of mountain regions and their value chains is thereafter summarised (Chapter 7). At the end of the report, the ‘profiles’ of 23 reference regions are presented with respect to their specific threats, impacts and preconditions for building adaptive strategies (Chapter 8). Final conclusions of the study are presented in the last chapter (Chapter 9).

The empirical study enabled the most important threats to mountain value chains to be identified from the perspective of stakeholders. These threats include environmental, socioeconomic and political and institutional threats. All threats were evaluated and ranked by stakeholders with respect to their importance and existing adverse effects.

Participatory workshops with stakeholders in mountain regions enabled multiple preconditions to be identified for building an adaptive capacity for mitigating these adverse effects. All preconditions were classified according to their linkage to mountain value chains.

The report presents specific data about each of the MRL that include: a list of the most important threats, illustrative examples of the narrative of adverse effects and their impacts on value chains, preconditions for building the adaptive capacity and a short summary related to the overall vulnerability and resilience of the mountain reference region and the selected value chain.