Vulnerability index describes, in the form of a numerical indicator, the vulnerability of rural areas to financial losses resulting from extreme weather events. The index can also be used for the management, planning and administration of a space. A sensitivity analysis is a technique used to determine the response of the index under study to a change to either the value or the number of variables. This technique is used within specified boundaries which depend on one or more input variables. The main aim of the study was to conduct a sensitivity analysis of the vulnerability index depending on the number of variables making up this index. Results show that the excess of features under consideration results in the distortion of the level of the index of vulnerability to financial losses resulting from extreme weather events, while the determination of vulnerability on the sole basis of the arising financial losses may lead to erroneous conclusions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/enviro.2017.200