The vision of high school students regarding their vulnerability and social resilience to the major adverse effects of climate change in municipalities with a high risk of flooding / La visión de los jóvenes de bachillerato a su vulnerabilidad y resiliencia social frente a los embates del cambio climático en municipios de alto riesgo a inundaciones

Abstract

The coastline along the state of Veracruz is one of the stretches of coast most exposed to the recurrent impact of extreme hydro-meteorological phenomena in the Gulf of Mexico. Populations in this territory have in recent years been severely affected by an increasing number of disasters caused by tropical cyclones. This article examines whether students in the last two years of high school (bachillerato) in these municipalities are aware of the risks, and also identifies whether such extreme episodes have increased the collective capacity to recover, adapt and transform: in other words, not only to cope with periodic events but to build new living conditions. The sample comprised 411 high school students living in three municipalities in the state of Veracruz that have been seriously affected by recent floodings. The fieldwork is supported by an ad hoc methodological design with non-probabilistic samples of high school students. Findings indicate low levels of recognition regarding the problem of flooding in comparison with other risk factors. Consequently, risk prevention and reduction measures to tackle this phenomenon have been undervalued.