Compendium on methods and tools to evaluate impacts of, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. Final draft

This compendium is organized in a way that allows existing adaptation analysis and decision frameworks and tools to be catalogued in manner that is clear and easy to use and does not prescribe or recommend methods or tools. It attempts to reflect the current state of knowledge by collecting and summarizing three broad categories of frameworks, methods and tools.

First, it reviews some of the complete frameworks, those methods that prescribe an entire process for the assessment of vulnerability and adaptation and in some instances assemble toolkits to support this process. These frameworks offer a broad strategic approach.

Second, the compendium establishes a structure for cataloging tools that assist in addressing key cross-cutting themes or whose application spans multiple steps of the assessment process, as well as discrete tools that are applicable to multiple sectors. These are not comprehensive frameworks, nor are they tools applicable only to a specific sector and step of an assessment framework. Some constitute partial frameworks or particular research orientations that prescribe an approach to undertaking an assessment (e.g., stakeholder analysis) and can be applied at various stages of the assessment. Others are tools that are applicable to more than one sector tend to address a particular stage of an assessment (e.g., GCM downscaling, socioeconomic scenario building, decision making).

Third, as the first version of the compendium did, this revised version organizes discrete tools specific to particular sectors. Much of the content of the original compendium has been conserved here. We have significantly updated the agriculture sector to reflect the development and use of new methods and tools.

The compendium provides users with key information about available frameworks and tools, special features of each framework or tool, and information about how to obtain documentation, training, or publications supporting each tool. It has been designed to be used as a reference document to identify available frameworks and tools for assessing vulnerability and adaptation. This is not a manual describing how to implement each tool, but rather a survey of possible tools that can be applied to a broad spectrum of situations and a map to point users to additional sources of information.

Each framework or tool is described in a summary table that summarizes its key features. Using these tables as a reference, users can decide which frameworks and tools they may want to use and then can obtain further documentation for the listed contact to fully evaluate each option. Each tool has been summarized to identify its potential applications. Based on the resources available and the individual needs of the project, the user can identify which tools may be most appropriate to analyze the adaptation options they are considering.

The compendium is not a “cookbook.” It does not provide full documentation for frameworks, models, or other tools. Users will need to obtain this information from the providers. Furthermore, users should carefully consider the alternative tools and methods discussed in the compendium. The appropriateness and usefulness of each tool or method may vary depending on users’ circumstances and information needs. Options for analysis should be carefully investigated and considered.

Tables include relevant topics from the following list:

Description. Explains the type of tool being presented (e.g., spreadsheet, process-based model) and what type of information this tool helps the user to evaluate (e.g., monetary costs, human health risks). This area also provides a basic summary of how the tool works, including the type of data it requires and the processes used to evaluate these data.

Appropriate use. Describes where the tool is (and is not) applicable. This gives the user an idea of the stage at which this tool is appropriate to use.

Scope. Covers the fields in which the tool is applicable, including geographic (i.e., whether it is specific to a particular region) and assessment characteristics (e.g., national or site-specific).

Key output. Describes the final product of the tool (e.g., a model, a cost-effectiveness evaluation, an organizing framework).

Key input. Explains the information or data required to use the tool.

Key tools. Describes discrete tools that would play an important role in implementing a complete framework.

Ease of use. Describes the level of difficulty associated with implementing this tool.

}Training required. Describes the level of expertise and any specific skills required to use the tool effectively.

Training offered. Describes the training available to learn how to use the tool effectively.

Computer requirements. Describes the computer hardware and software necessary to use the tool.

Documentation. Provides the citations for sources describing in detail how to use the tool. Generally this is a user’s manual or similar document.

Applications. Briefly describes actual cases and projects where this tool has been applied.

Contacts for tools, documentation, and technical assistance. Provides information on who to contact for further information, documentation, and technical assistance. Generally the agency or firm that developed the tool, or, for several of the tools applicable to multiple sectors, someone who can provide a reference to an expert for a particular application.

Cost. Provides the monetary cost of obtaining documentation or software for the tool. Where applicable, provides information on the approximate cost of implementing the tool. In cases where the exact cost is unavailable, relative cost is used (e.g., high, medium, or low relative to other tools described).

References. Provides the citations for documents, articles, etc., that have critically discussed use of this tool.

Finally, this compendium is part of an ongoing process and should be considered a living document. As the frameworks and tools it describes are used and field tested, they will be steadily improved and their application refined. Furthermore, the compendium is in no way intended to provide a comprehensive listing of approaches, cross cutting issues, or sectors or of the potential frameworks and tools that might be characterized as such. Rather, the hope is to set up structure that will accommodate the addition of other tools and frameworks currently in use as well as new approaches that will be developed in the future.

Notes on using the compendium

Summary tables in the compendium provide an overview of the framework or tool in question. They are designed to assist the user in identifying methods and techniques to investigate further. The main function is to direct users how to obtain more information, not to instruct the user on how to apply any particular framework or tool.

Many of the frameworks and tools overlap with one another. They should not be thought of as representing discrete points on a continuum, embodying either-or choices. Users may find that more than one framework or tool might be suited to their goals. It may be that users might benefit from combining elements of different methods or techniques that are profiled here.

The compendium is intended to be a living document. It reflects the state of knowledge at the point in time it was compiled. Additionally, it provides a structure that should allow it to grow to incorporate new frameworks and tools.