?This paper discusses the concept of vulnerability as characterized in the climate change literature and presents a framework for assessing adaptive capacity. The framework recognizes inherent susceptibilities of human environment systems exposed to climate variability and change. As climate change impacts are unevenly distributed among and within nations, regions, communities and individuals due to differential exposures and vulnerabilities, the framework highlights determinants of adaptive capacity at the local scale and situates them within larger regional, national and international settings. Determinants include: access and distribution of resources, technology, information and wealth; risk perceptions; social capital and community structure; and institutional frameworks that address climate change hazards. This broader approach contrasts typical impact assessments that focus largely on reducing economic detriments of change.?