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Compendium on methods and tools to evaluate impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate
change
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Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAT)
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Description
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Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAT) supports the linking of environmental, social and
economic data in the coastal zone. It is a static GIS map overlay procedure that enables a relative
risk or vulnerability analysis of coastal communities to a series of existing threats. The CVAT
procedure comprises 7 steps:
- Hazard identification and prioritisation;
- Hazard analysis;
- Critical Facilities analysis;
- Social analysis;
- Economic analysis;
- Environmental analysis;
- Mitigation opportunities analysis.
A CD-ROM provides a step-by-step guide for conducting community-wide risk and vulnerability
assessments. It also provides an illustrative case study demonstrating the process for analysing
physical, social, economic and environmental vulnerability to hazards at the local level. It
contains a detailed case study on New Hanover county, North Carolina, which illustrates the use of
the Community Vulnerability Methodology Assessment methodology in a specific community.
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Appropriate Use
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Used to conduct a community vulnerability assessment to a range of hazards (not specifically
addressing climate change).
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Scale
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The assessment focuses on the community level.
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Key Output
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Relative risk or vulnerability analysis of coastal communities to a series of existing threats.
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Key Input
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Environmental, social and economic data for the coastal zone in GIS format.
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Ease of Use
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The CD-ROM is relatively easy to use.
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Training Required
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It provides a framework for vulnerability and risk assessment, which allows communities to carry out
the assessment. CVAT is most useful for people who wish to gain an understanding of how to
conceptualise community vulnerability.
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Training Available
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The NOAA coastal services offers training on how to do a risk and vulnerability assessment. More
information on this training is available at: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/training/cvat-tool.html.
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Computer Requirements
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The following options are available for using the information on the CD-ROM (1) Web-Browser for
viewing text, images, and static maps and (2) ArcExplorer GIS Data Explorer (free software included).
ArcView GIS (ArcView 3.0 or higher required to interact with one component of the case study on the
CD-ROM).
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Documentation
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See below for contacts. The CD-ROM contains a number of tutorials designed to assist in hazard
planning activities. These tutorials include vulnerability assessment tutorials, LIDAR tutorials and
extensions and damage assessment tool tutorial.
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International Studies
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center (CSC) (1997, 1999),
Albury (2004), Clark et al. (1998), Cutter (1996), Cutter et al. (2000, 2003), Emrich (2000),
Morrow (1999).
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Contacts for Framework, Documentation, Technical Assistance
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Tashya Allen, Cindy Fowler
NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina
29405-2413.e-mail: 2413.e-mail: clearinghouse@csc.noaa.gov. To receive a copy of the CD-ROM
or any assistance please contact : tashya.allen@noaa.gov and cindy.fowler@noaa.gov.
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Cost
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There is no cost for the CD-ROM (File size: 0.3MB).
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Validity
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The CVAT tool would require customising to a given environment where there is a different suite of
hazards and access to appropriate data is not as centralised. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/training/cvat-tool.html
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