Vulnerability to Building Resilience: Strategies for Adaptation and Mitigation (AdMit) in Desert–Coastal Landscapes

Global climate change affects countries differently and their responses vary based on location and capacity to adapt. Evaluating vulnerability is essential for identifying gaps between stated and implemented policies. This study used an indicator-based approach from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to assess sectoral and composite vulnerability in Saudi Arabia's 13 provinces. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied for dimensionality reduction across variables representing biophysical, social, economic, health, infrastructure, utilities, transportation, and service vulnerabilities with data standardization and factor analysis suitability using the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test and Bartlett's test of sphericity. Cluster Analysis (CA) was used for classifying regions based on shared vulnerability characteristics. Vulnerability maps revealed that 19.73% of the area is highly vulnerable. Biophysical, economic, and health indicators contributed the most. The findings inform targeted adaptation and mitigation (AdMit) measures and support integrating vulnerability assessments into national planning for resilience-focused policies in highly susceptible regions.