Climate Adaptation

Adaptation Tools

AASHTO

Integrating Extreme Weather Risk into Transportation Asset Management, AASHTO (Nov. 2012). This White Paper examines how elements of transportation asset management (TAM) provide a mechanism for integrating consideration of extreme weather risk into transportation agency decision making. The paper describes the TAM framework for risk assessment and explores how extreme weather is different from other types of risk; describes how consideration of extreme weather risk can be integrated from the beginning of the TAM process into goal setting and development of performance metrics; and describes how consideration of extreme weather events can be integrated into the final steps of the TAM process, with particular focus on data collection and management.

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Federal Highway Administration

Planning for Systems Management & Operations as part of Climate Change Adaptation, Federal Highway Administration (April 12, 2013). This white paper released by FHWA’s Office of Operations summarizes potential climate change effects on transportation system management and operations. The paper also discusses options for agencies to assess transportation system vulnerabilities and potential changes that could make transportation operations more resilient to climate change.

Climate Change & Extreme Weather Vulnerability Assessment Framework, Federal Highway Administration (Jan. 18, 2013). FHWA has posted this final, updated framework for use by transportation agencies to assess vulnerability of transportation infrastructure to climate change and extreme weather events and adaptation options. The framework will be used to inform the second round of pilot projects for which FHWA has issued a solicitation for pilot projects in November 2012. The framework provides an overview of key steps in conducting vulnerability assessments and uses in-practice examples to demonstrate a variety of ways to gather and process information. Additional information is available on FHWA’s Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Pilots webpage.

Role of Transportation Management Centers in Emergency Operations: A Guidebook, Federal Highway Administration (October 2012). This guidebook identifies the areas of potential collaboration between transportation management centers (TMC) and emergency response operations during a disaster event. The guidebook recommends that TMCs implement an Incident Command System approach that will facilitate integration with emergency personnel during an event. The guidebook also describes ways in which the permanent infrastructure of the TMC, such as cameras, sensors, and communication networks, can be effectively put to use during small- and large-scale emergencies. The importance of advance planning and training is also emphasized. In addition, the guidebook includes checklists for TMCs to use to evaluate preparedness.

Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Transportation and Climate Change, Federal Highway Administration (Aug. 29, 2011). This report describes the current practice and application of GIS technologies for integrating climate change into the transportation decisionmaking process. The report synthesizes the findings from eight case studies that describe how select state, regional, and local agencies are developing and applying GIS tools to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies

Assessing Vulnerability and Risk of Climate Change Effects on Transportation Infrastructure: Pilot of the Conceptual Model, Federal Highway Administration (6-24-10). FHWA has issued a conceptual Risk Assessment Model that will be piloted by three to four State Departments of Transportation or Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The goal of the model is to help transportation decision makers identify which assets are most exposed to the threats from climate change and/or could result in the most serious consequences as a result of those threats. Using feedback and lessons learned during this pilot phase, FHWA will refine this draft conceptual model and develop a final version for all transportation agencies. For more information, link to the conceptual model and the FHWA solicitation for pilot projects.

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Federal Transit Administration

FTA Climate Change Adaptation Initiative, Federal Transit Administration. This webpage features resources on FTA’s climate adaptation efforts, including agency reports, pilot projects, FTA and DOT policies on climate change, materials from recent workshops and webinars, links to U.S. DOT climate adaptation efforts, and related FTA links.

Flooded Bus Barnes and Buckled Rails: Public Transportation and Climate Change Adaptation, Federal Transit Administration (August 2011).  This report provides an overview of anticipated climate impacts on U.S. transit systems and climate change adaptation efforts by transit agencies in the United States and abroad. Topics include availability of vulnerability assessment, risk management, and adaptation planning tools and their applicability to public transportation agencies. The report provides examples of adaptation strategies and discusses how transit agencies might incorporate climate change adaptation into their organizational structures, asset management systems, planning, and emergency response.

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Federal Emergency Management Agency

HAZUS-MH. HAZUS-MH is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that estimates potential losses from earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods. Developed by FEMA it uses state of the art GIS software to map and display hazard data and the results of damage and economic loss estimates for buildings and infrastructure. Also allows users to estimate the impacts of earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods on populations.

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Fish and Wildlife Service

Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (March 2011). FWS has updated its Sea-Level Affecting Marshes Model online portal (SLAMM-View 2.0), which allows users to view simulations used for predicting and planning for adverse impacts of sea-level rise on coastal wetlands and shorelines. SLAMM-View uses data from the National Wetlands Inventory to identify wetlands that may be impacted by sea-level rise. The online application allows for simultaneous comparison between both current and future conditions out to the year 2100, and among different sea-level rise scenarios, using interactive maps and tabular reporting capabilities.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

CanVis: A Tool for Visualizing Coastal Changes and Potential Adaptation Strategies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Nov. 28, 2012). This webinar provides an overview of CanVis, a geographic information system software application that can generate photorealistic illustrations of potential changes to landscapes. The software uses a background photograph and provides visualizations based on data that projects changes over time.

NOAA Coastal Climate Adaptation Website, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Nov. 2012). This website designed to be a community of practice regarding the adaptation of coastal communities to climate change. The site is intended to provide a way in which state and local officials can see what their colleagues are doing in terms of adaptation to climate change. The site also includes resources, reference materials, and basic information on risk and vulnerability assessments, stakeholder engagement, and training. Registration allows users to contribute materials.

Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool, NOAA. An informational aid designed to assess communities in their efforts to reduce hazard vulnerability. The tools help local and state governments determine and prioritize their localities' vulnerability to coastal hazards.

Community Vulnerability: Climate Attribution Toolbox, NOAA. Climate attribution attempts to explain evolving climate conditions and to assess their impacts at the regional or local levels.

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Other Organizations

Promising Practices in Climate Adaptation and Resilience: A Guide for Local Leaders, Institute for Sustainable Communities (Jan. 10, 2013). ISC and the Center for Clean Air Policy have developed this resource guide to help practitioners in cities and metropolitan regions address climate change adaptation and resilience. The guide features case studies of climate adaptation planning at the local level organized under several themes: models of adaptation planning; bolstering resilience by integrating adaptation into local planning and operations; maintaining a commitment to adaptation; and cross-jurisdictional collaboration. The guide also provides lists of resources on climate resilience, adaptation planning, climate risks and adaptation, and developing a commitment on adaptation.

Adapting to Urban Heat: A Tool Kit for Local Governments, Georgetown Climate Center (Aug. 17, 2012). The Georgetown Climate Center has created a tool kit for use by cities and counties to better prepare for public health and infrastructure challenges posed by climate change. The toolkit includes analytic tools for the assessment of built-environment changes to adapt to increased urban heat. The toolkit also includes decision-making criteria, examples of programs and incentives, and sets of “no regrets” policies that local governments can implement.

National Assessment of Hurricane-Induced Coastal Erosion Hazards: Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Geological Survey (May 30, 2012). This report finds that 70 percent of the Gulf of Mexico shoreline is vulnerable to extreme erosion that can be caused by even a weak hurricane. The report, which is based on modeling of the probability of erosion, overwash, and inundation during hurricane landfall for sandy beaches along the entire U.S. Gulf Coast shoreline, is intended help planners determine how different categories of hurricanes would impact their beaches and surrounding communities. The report includes an interactive map allowing users to focus on different parts of the Gulf Coast shoreline to view how the probability of erosion caused by waves and storm surge will vary depending on hurricane intensity.

Online Climate Adaptation Clearinghouse Now Available, Georgetown Climate Center (Nov. 1, 2011). A new online database of resources on climate adaption is now available on the Georgetown Climate Center’s website. The Adaptation Clearinghouse is intended to help state policymakers, resource managers, academics, journalists, and others find information on adaptation policies and plans. The clearinghouse features policy resources in the areas of law and governance, sea-level rise, and urban heat. Also included are sector materials intended to get users started in adaptation planning in the coastal, public health, transportation, water, and wildlife sectors. The clearinghouse also allows users to search organizations by sector, location, and organization type; track federal climate adaptation legislation; and view adaptation plans created by state and local governments.

Adaptation Tool Kit: Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Land Use, Georgetown Climate Center (Nov. 1, 2011). This report describes 18 land use tools that state and local governments can use to adapt to impacts to the built environmental from rising sea levels and flooding caused by climate change. Each tool is analyzed according to implementation type (planning, regulatory, spending, and tax and market-based tools); policy objective (protection, accommodation, planned retreat, or preservation); and applicable land uses (critical infrastructure, existing development, developable lands, undevelopable lands). The report specifies how each tool can be used, which sources have proposed its use for adaptation purposes, and examples of programs that have implemented it. In addition, the report analyses the economic, environmental, and social advantages and disadvantages of each tool.

Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, National Wildlife Federation (Jan. 19, 2011). This guidance document is intended to help natural resource managers and conservation professionals to plan, execute, and interpret climate change vulnerability assessments. The document includes an overview of the general principles of climate change vulnerability as it relates to species, habitats, and ecosystems. The guidance also describes the scientific methods currently available for assessing vulnerability and for tailoring these approaches to particular situations and needs and provides examples of vulnerability assessments performed by government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.

Toolkit for Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Projects, CARE and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). This Toolkit is designed to guide the integration process. It is being developed to provide development project designers, implementers and managers with a simple tool to guide the process of considering climate change in the analysis, design, implementation, and information and knowledge management of projects. The core of the Toolkit is a "Checklist for Integrating Climate Change Adaptation into Projects." The draft toolkit is currently being tested in a number of projects in Africa. It is planned for release in early 2010.

Amica Adaptation Tool. The aim of the European project AMICA is to develop local and regional strategies which adopt a comprehensive approach to climate change. This tool was developed by the four AMICA working groups along with scientific support from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. It contains a matrix of adaptation measures that provides various possibilities of adapting to climate variability and climate change on the local to provincial level. The matrix includes more than 40 adaptation measures which are assigned to four impact types and nine categories of measure.

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