Examining the Level of Vulnerability and Adaptation of Middle Class
Urban Communities to Climate Change
Akhmad Faruq Hamdani and Nelya Eka Susanti
Program Studi Pendidikan Geografi, Fakultas Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Kanjuruhan Malang, Jl. S.Supriadi no 48,
Malang 65148, Indonesia
Keywords: Adaptation, Climate Change, Vulnerability, Middle Class Urban Communities.
Abstract: This study aims to examine the level of vulnerability and adaptation of middle class urban communities to
climate change that happened in Malang City. Quantitative approach method is done by examining the air
temperature changes in 1991—2016 and the results of questionnaires respondents middle class urban
communities. The results show the trend of increasing in the air temperature from year after year increases.
The level of community adaptation is categorized as low, both the variables of green open space availability
and the diversity of potted plants. Settlement conditions in urban areas vulnerable to climate change should
be directly proportional to the level of community adaptation. However, the fact that occurs to middle-class
urban communities shows a low adaptation capacity. Whereas adaptation capacity can reduce the level of
vulnerability that occurs to urban areas. The higher the level of community adaptation, the lower the
vulnerability due to climate change. Efforts to conserve the environment need to be done so that the
sustainability of urban area can be maintained.
1 INTRODUCTION
Climate change leads to every sector of urban
community life. The community is a part to the most
affected by climate change (Doherty, et al., 2016).
Essentially the condition of the Earth's climate will
continue to change, but the process of changing
elements of weather and climate to become faster.
The latest report issued Intergovermental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) in its Assement Report V
mentions the end of 21
st
century increases global
surface temperature projected to exceed 1.5-2°C
(IPCC, 2014).
Urban areas with all its heterogeneity of activities
that occur therein exposed to the impacts on climate
change (Alistair & Watkiss, 2011). Change the
function of the urban land due to the increased
population will increase urban air temperature
(Sharifi & Lehmann, 2015). Communities are the
ones most affected by climate change. Increased
temperatures will increase people's discomfort.
Improving the capacity of communities in climate
change adaptation is an important part of reducing the
risks and vulnerability levels of the disaster that will
be experienced by the community. The vulnerability
is a state prone to danger from exposure to pressure
related to environmental and social changes as well
as the capacity of adaptation of the people . The
vulnerability of the community is the ability of
adaptation to society in adjusting to the level of
exposure (Adger, 2006).
Study of the level of vulnerability to climate
change has been done, but haven't much done on the
middle-class urban communities. The results of the
study of Lemonsu et al. (2015 ) mentions an increase
in the air temperature in a dense urban area will
produce higher urban heat thermal which increases
the overall vulnerability of the population. Results of
the study of Wang & Zhou (2016) large-scale urban
development is producing urban heat islan in urban
area. Results of the study of Giollio (2018) proposing
the adaptation of climate of the city of Sao Paulo,
Brazil needs to increase the capacity of adaptation of
the political policy in Sao Paulo to address the
challenges of climate change on communities of the
city, such as the settlement policy, infrastructure,
sanitation, water management, and migration.
Large cities, creating other urban environmental
problems such as haze weather. Limitations of
research about the levels of vulnerability in the urban
middle-class coomunities need to watch out for.
Because nearly two-thirds of the population of a
36
Hamdani, A. and Susanti, N.
Examining the Level of Vulnerability and Adaptation of Middle Class Urban Communities to Climate Change.
In Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (ANCOSH 2018) - Revitalization of Local Wisdom in Global and Competitive Era, pages 36-40
ISBN: 978-989-758-343-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

region in the developing world live and activities in
urban areas. A middle-class community is a
community with revenues that have ranges of $2-40
per day (Nizar, 2015). Middle-class communities
with limited economic conditions expected to adapt
to the existence of climate change. Therefore this study
aims to examine the level of vulnerability and adaptation of
middle class urban communities to climate change that
happened in Malang City.
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Research Method
The method that is used in this research is quantitative
method with region survey approach. This
quantitative method is used to know about the level
of vulnerability and adaptation of middle class urban
communities to climate change by observation,
interview, filling in the form, and collecting the
secondary data.
2.2 Variety and Source of Data
The data collected is the primary data and secondary
data. Primary data is the result of a detailed
questionnaire and interviews to the respondents of the
research that has been determined. Sampling is done
to 96 respondents. The selection of the sample of
respondents is selected by purposive random
sampling. Selected research respondents in this study
is 1) community that has been living in Malang City
during the 10-25 years. 2) Community with earnings
range of $2-20 (IDR 27,000-270,000) per day or $60-
600 (IDR 810,000-8,100,000) per month.
Secondary data are data air temperature of Malang
1991-2016 year from Indonesian Agency for
Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG)
and NOAA's National Climatic Data Center
(NNCDC) and map of Malang City.
2.3 Analysis Data
Variation on / in air temperature changes was analysis
using secondary data have been obtained from
Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology
and Geophysics (BMKG) and NOAA's National
Climatic Data Center (NNCDC). The analysis was
conducted to know the variations changes in the year
1991-2016 so that it can be known increases have
occurred in every month and year. The Level of
Vulnerability and Adaptation of Middle Class Urban
Communities are analysis in a descriptive by
presenting an explanation in detail about the level of
adaptation in a middle-class community in Malang
City.
3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Air Temperature Changes Due to
Climate Change in Malang City
Climate change is felt by the people of Malang. Rapid
growing and concentration of population in urban
area are increasing vulnerable to climate change
(Tumini & Rubio-Bellido, 2016). Research results
showed 94.8% of respondents feel the impact on
climate change. Impacts on climate change are felt by
the community is increasing the temperature of the
air. The results showed a trend of rising temperatures
from year after year. In 1991 the range of
temperatures ranging from 21.39
0
C on the lowest
temperature and 24.57
0
C on the highest temperature.
Whereas, in the year 2016 the lowest temperature
range 24.32
0
C and highest temperatures 25.67
0
C.
Figure 1: Variation of Air Temperatur Changes in Malang
City 1991-2016.
20.000
22.000
24.000
26.000
28.000
30.000
1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
Variation of Air Temperatur Changes
in Malang City
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November
Examining the Level of Vulnerability and Adaptation of Middle Class Urban Communities to Climate Change
37

The increase in the air temperature of Malang as
one exposure to the disaster that happened to be felt
by the community. 58% of respondents stated that the
temperature is getting hotter. Increasing air
temperature in urban area heat can impact citizens
health and the quality of public life in cities (Sharifi
& Lehmann, 2015).
Many people have modified the thermal landscape
on many spatiotemporal level experiencing negative
health effect from increasing air temperature
(Sheridan & Dixon, 2016). Increasing air temperature
in urban area has been found to be function of urban
surface properties with influence by land cover
(Wang & Zhou, 2017). High density urban
residential development changes micro climate in
urban area.
The increased air temperatures caused by
devastating open green space in the urban area. The
reduction of open green spaces increased micro air
temperature in some big cities in Indonesia (Effendy
& Aprihatmoko, 2014). When in the open green space
have put a damper on solar radiation up to the surface
of the Earth.
Open green space able to withstand the maximum
temperature. Areas with high temperature have
disaster risk is higher compared to areas with low
temperatures. This is due to the high temperature
areas have a high percentage of the land enclosed
which will cause the absorption of solar radiation is
high, so that the reflection of the sun's radiation back
into the atmosphere is also high (Rushayati, et al,
2011).
Open green space has the ability to stabilize
climatic conditions become cool and comfortable.
Vegetation reduces the urban heat island effect and
stabilization of urban climate (Sarkar &
Bhattacharyya, 2015). Open green space can reduce
temperature by transpiration (Ramdhoni, et al , 2016).
Benefit of open green space can be ecological,
economic, and social benefit. Ecological benefit such
as balance carbon and oxygen, absorb toxic gas,
adjust urban heat island, water conservation, and
biodiversity. Economic benefit such as property
values, food and medicine, provide fuel and energy,
and reduce damage risks. Social benefits such as
shelter and cooling, landscape aesthetics, human
health, and education (Byomkesh, at al., 2012).
3.2 The Level of Vulnerability and
Adaptation of Middle Class Urban
Communities
The level of adaptation to climate change was
demonstrated through the availability of open green
space settlements and diversity the types of plants in
a pot that is owned by the people of the middle class.
First variable of adaptation to climate change
showed the none of middle-class community have
open green space >7% of the house total area. The
results showed 60.4% of respondents do not have
open green space, 33.3% have 1-3% of open green
space, and 6.3% of the respondents have open green
space 4-6% of the house total area. The availability
of open green space settlements on middle-class
society is very minimal. This is because most of the
ownership of land used for building. The limitations
of economic conditions and limitations of the land for
not doing conservation work.
Table 1: The availability of open green space.
Source: Research analysis
The limitation of land, cost of living, and the cost
of management of open green space into a middle-
class community cause factor does not provide open
green space. According to the law of spatial planning
No. 26/2007, open green space is a minimum of 30%
of the urban area. Which comprises 20% of public
open green space and 10% private open green space.
The proportion of 30% is the minimum standard for
balancing the urban’s climate conditions.
Open green space has function to climate
amelioration (Ramdhoni, et al, 2016). Open green
space help in local habitat and biodiversity
conservation, enhance micro climate by reducing
albedo and solar radiation load, and keep air quality
by trapping particulate pollutants. The role of green
space in urban system is very crucial and very
important for urban community (Sarkar &
Bhattacharyya, 2015). Open green space assumed to
No
Indicator
Percentage
Category
1
The
availa
bility
of
open
green
space
None
60,4%
Very low
1-3% of
the
house
total area
33,3%
Low
4-6% of
the
house
total area
6,3%
Middle
7-10%
of the
house
total area
0%
High
> 10%
of the
house
total area
0%
Very high
ANCOSH 2018 - Annual Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities
38

influence health and well-being of urban community
(Khotdee, et al, 2012).
Second variable of adaptation to climate change
showed that the diversity of the types of plants in a
pot. Ownership and diversity of plants in a pot that is
owned by the people of the middle class in Malang
City belongs to the category of low (53%). Plant in a
pot that is owned by the community only a fraction is
ecologically beneficial. Most of the plants in a pot
that are owned by the community more towards
aesthetic function. Because of the condition of the
economy of the community tend to meet the most
urgent necessities of life. Concern for environmental
conservation efforts is the need that can only be
enjoyed after the basic needs are met.
Table 2: The diversity the types of plants in a pot.
Source: Research analysis.
Green area consists of different elements, e.g.
single trees in gardens, lawns and grass, flowers and
ornamental plants as the main provider of ecosystem
services (Breuste, et al., 2013). Green area is
particularly needed for stabilized ecosystem in urban
environment (Byomkesh, at al., 2013). According
from ecosystem services of urban green area by
Breuste, et al. (2013) each part of vegetation group
have differents function on ecosystem service.
Table 3: The ecosystem services of urban green space.
No
Vegetation group
Vegetation structure type
Main existing ecosystem
services
Main potential ecosystem
services
1
Ornamental,
holticultural and
designed urban
vegetation space
Allotment gardens urban trees
Micro climate
regulation, air filtering,
air temperature reducing
Biodiversity, learning about
nature
Gardens/ parks
Micro climate
regulation, rainwater
drainage, air filtering.
Recreation, biodiversity,
rainwater drainage
Decorative green (flower
beds, small lawn patches,
bushes, hedges, etc)
Decoration, cultural
values
Biodiversity
Source: Adaptation from Breuste, et al., 2013.
Adaptability is the response from individuals and
communities to the impacts of changes in the
environmental conditions that have and will happen
(Adger, 2006). Low adaptability in middle-class
communities causing them is vulnerable to the risk
that is going to happen to the future. However, the
expectation is through good financial management on
individuals and community groups the middle class
will be able to set aside a portion of revenues for
environmental conservation efforts. Because of the
increase in temperature due to climate change impacts
will continue to occur (IPCC, 2014).
The level of vulnerability is a condition of an
individual or society that lead to or cause incapacity
in the face of the threat of danger (Kumalasari, 2014).
Analysis results to indicate that increasing the level
of exposure to increased air temperature then must be
balanced by an increased rate of adaptation. If
exposure to increased temperatures are offset by an
increase in adaptation to climate change risk then it
will continue to be felt. High adaptation capacity will
be able to reduce the level of vulnerability that occurs
to urban areas (Kumalasari, 2014).
Urban area must be central to global climate
change mitigation. Urban areas are responsible for
around three quarter of global energy use, because
more than half of world’s population live in urban
area (Gouldsaon, et al., 2016). High speed and high
density of urban area must be contributed not only
urban environmental problems but also solution of the
problem in urban area. The environmental
conservation activity of middle class of urban
communities must be increasing cope with climate
change for the future.
No
Indicator
Percentage
Category
1
The
diversi
ty the
types
of
plants
in a
pot
None
19,8%
Very low
1-3 type
53%
Low
4-6 type
25%
Middle
7-9 type
1,1%
High
>9 type
1,1%
Very high
Examining the Level of Vulnerability and Adaptation of Middle Class Urban Communities to Climate Change
39

4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of the study it was concluded that
the variations in temperature increase due to climate
change has occurred and its impact has been felt by
the people in Malang City. The level of adaptation
and vulnerability based on results of research shows
an alarming results. This is because the level of
adaptation seen from the variable availability of open
green space settlements is on average lower
categories and diversity of plants in a pot in the
middle-class communities fall into the category of
low. Whereas the impact on vulnerabilities to climate
change has been felt by 94.8% of respondents,
however, the conservation of the environment is only
a fraction of the community. Advice can be given on
the basis of the findings of the research was the need
for socialization to society the middle class will be the
importance of environmental conservation efforts as
an attempt on adaptation to climate change and
further research to analysis another variable the level
of vulnerability and adaptation so that it can give a
contribution to the society to be more prosperous and
comfortable.
REFERENCES
Adger, W. N., 2006. Vulnerability. Global Environment
Change, Volume 16, pp. 268-281.
Alistair, H. & Watkiss, P., 2011. Climate Change Impacts
And Adaptation in Cities: A Review Of The Literature.
Climate Change, Volume 104, pp. 13-49.
Breuste, J. Schnellinger J., Qureshi, & Faggi, A. 2013.
Urban ecosystem Services on The Local Level: Urban
Green Space as Providers. Ekologia (Bratislava), 32
(3), pp 209-304.
Byomkesh, T., Nakagoshi, N., & Dewan A.M. 2012.
Urbanization and green space dynamics in Greater
Dhaka, Bangladesh International Landscape Ecology
Engineering. Springer.
Doherty M., Klima K., Hellmann J.J. 2016. Climate Change
in The Urban Environment: Advancing, Measuring and
Achieving Resiliency. Environmental Science &
Policy, 66, pp 310-313.
Effendy, S. & Aprihatmoko, F., 2014. Kaitan Ruang
Terbuka Hijau Dengan Kenyamanan Termal Perkotaan.
Jurnal Agromet, 28(1), pp. 23-32.
Giollio G.M.D., Bedran-Martins A.M.B., Vasconcellos
M.D.P., Ribeiro W.C., Lemos M.C. 2018.
Mainstreaming climate adaptation in the megacity of
São Paulo, Brazil. Cities, 72, pp 237-244.
Gouldson A., Colenbrader A. Sudmant A.Paprgyropoulou
E., Kerr N., McAnnulla F., Hall S. 2016. Cities and
Climate Change Mitigation: Economic Opportunities
And Governance Challenges In Asia. Cities, 54, pp 11-
19.
IPCC, 2014. Impact, Adaptation, and Vulnerability.
Contribution of Working Group II To The Third
Assessment Report of The Intergovermental Panel on
Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Khotdee, M., Singhirunnusorn W., & Sahachaisaeree N.,
2012. Effects of Green Open Space on Social Health
and Behaviour of Urban Residents: A Case Study of
Communities in Bangkok. ASEAN Conference on
Environmental-Behaviour Studies Bandung (AceE-Bs
2011). Elsevier-Procedia Environmental Sciences, 36,
pp 449-455.
Kumalasari, N. R., 2014. Kapasitas Adaptasi Terhadap
Kerentanan dan Bencana Perubahan Iklim di Tambak
Lorok Keluarahan Tanjung Mas Semarang. Jurnal
Pembangunan Wilayah & Kota, 10(4), pp. 476-487.
Lemonsu A., Vigue V., Daniel M., Masson., Vulnerability
to heat waves: Impact of urban expansion scenarios on
urban heat island and heat stress in Paris (France).
Urban Climate, 14, pp 506-605.
Nizar, M. A., 2015. Kelas Menengah (Middle Class) dan
Implikasinya. In: Zuprianto, ed. Bungai Rampai
Ekonomi Keungana. Jakarta: Nagakusuma Media
Kreatif, pp. 171-192.
Ramdhoni, S., Rushayanti, S.B., Prasetyo L. B., 2016. Open
Green Space Development Priority Based on
Distribution of Air Temperature Change in Capital City
of Indonesia, Jakarta. The 2
nd
Symposium on LAPAN-
IPB Satelite for Food Security and Environmental
Monitoring 2015 (LISAT-FSEM 2015). Elsevier-
Procedia Environmental Sciences, 33, pp 204-313.
Rushayati, S. B., Alikodra, H. S., Dahlan, E. N. & Purnomo,
H., 2011. Pengembangan Ruang Terbuka Hijau
Berdasarkan Distribusi Suhu Permukaan Di Kabupaten
Bandung. Forum Geografi, 25(1), pp. 17-26.
Sarkar S., Bhattacharyya T.K., 2015. Environmentally
Sustainable Development of Urban Settlements In India:
A Framework For Development of Indicators, 10 (1), pp
121-142.
Sharifi, E. & Lehmann, S., 2015. Correlation Analysis Of
Surface Temperature Of Rooftops, Streetscapes, And
Urban Heat Island Effect: Case Study of Central
Sydney. Journal of Urban and Environmental
Engineering, 9(1), pp. 3-11.
Sheridan S.C., Dixon P.G. 2016. Spatiotemporal trends in
human vulnerability and adaptation to heat across the
United States. Anthropocene, 125, pp 1-13.
Tumini, I., Rubio-Bellido C., 2016. Measuring Climate
Change Impact on Urban Microclimate: a Case Study
of Concepcion. World Multidisciplinary Civil
Engineering-Architecture-Urban Planning Symposium
2016 (WMCAUS 2016). Elsevier-Procedia
Environmental Sciences, 161, 2290-2296.
Wang Y., Zhou D., 2017. Simulation Study of Urban
Residential Development and Urban Climate Change in
Xi’an, China. International High-Performance Built
Environment Conference – A Sustainable Built
Environment Conference 2016 Series (SBE16).
Elsevier-Procedia Engineering, 180, pp 423-432.
ANCOSH 2018 - Annual Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities
40