People all over the world are being confronted with the reality of climate change. For some, climate change is simply a matter of changes in weather patterns, but for others, it is a matter of survival: too little water or too much, not enough food to go around, risks to safety and security. The purpose of this report is to provoke thought, dialogue and debate by practitioners and policy makers on the issue of vulnerability to climate change and on approaches to vulnerability assessment in policy and in practice. Three case studies provide snapshots of the realities of vulnerable communities in Vietnam, Peru and Ghana that are already feeling the effects of climate change.