This part of the learning centre provides an overview of methods and tools that are available for any part of the climate adaptation process and it presents its uses and backgrounds. Where an external guide provides support, the information is included in the Decision Framework.

The tools on this page are grouped into the following sections (click to jump to section):

• Climate drivers, climate threats, exposure
• Vulnerability, Impact, Risk
• Adaptation options
• Prioritising / selecting options
• Target setting and Monitoring & evaluation
• Stakeholder involvement and commitment
• Communication
• Dealing with complexity and uncertainty

Overview of RESIN and external tools that can be used beneficially in urban climate adaptation planning

Climate drivers, climate threats, exposure
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
Climate Impact Atlas	T	X	X		X	X	Provides heatmap images for (change in) temperatures, flood risk, drought, precipitation. Only covers area of the Netherlands, Dutch language only.
LCLIP (Local Climate Impacts Profile)	T	X	X	X		X	Systematic step-by-step method and tool to assess exposure to weather conditions. Primarily aimed at the organisation level (not complete cities). Supported by Excel tool to gather and assess results.
RESIN Climate Risk Typology	T	X	X		X	X	Quick tool that produces indicators that are relevant for determining climate threats, drivers, stressors and risks, based on available statistics of your NUTS-3 region.
RAMSES Urban climate projections and climate impact detection	M	X		X		X	The method is intended to carry out a first assessment and lay the groundwork to keep track of the effects of climate change. Thorough for a first assessment.
Risk Zone Map	T	X	X		X	X	Give visual heat maps of risk of inundation at various level of sea water levels rise.
Blue Green Dream	T	X	X		X		Consultant-operated tool. Supports the modelling and calculation of water management situations before and after adaptation measures have been taken.
UrbClim Heat maps	T			X			Heat maps at a resolution of up to 100m, using available satellite and meteorological data. Considerable experience needed.
Flood maps for planning	T	X	X			X	Maps current exposure to fluvial and coastal floods. England only
TAUW Urban Heat maps	T				X		Consultant-operated quickscan tool mapping the Urban Heat Island. Requires detailed data on the height of buildings
Vulnerability, Impact, Risk
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
3Di	T			X			Hydrodynamic simulation software for pluvial, fluvial and coastal floods. Expertise (in GIS and hydrology) is required to operate the tool. Otherwise, experts can be hired to perform the calculations.
CLIMADA Natural catastrophe damage model	T	X		X			Can be used to determine hazards and impacts. Is limited to storm, earthquake, meteorite, volcano and flood hazards. Runs in MATLAB or GNU OCTAVE. Expert support required for practical use.
RESIN IVAVIA Guideline	M	X		X		X	Extensive systemic guideline describing all steps to perform a qualitative and/or quantitative Risk-based Vulnerability Assessment. Based on the German ‘The Vulnerability Sourcebook’, but elaborated and updated to reflect the IPCC AR5 structure and terminology.
RESIN Impact Chain Editor Plus (ICE+)	T	X			X	X	Systematic, graphical, on-line tool to design cause-effect relationships among elements that underlie the impact of a given combination of hazard and exposed object. The tool requires the user to have a basic knowledge in climate change risk assessment and the development of Impact Chains. The tool is part of the IVAVIA method.
RESIN IVAVIA Workflow Support	T	X		X	X	X	This tool automates the calculation of vulnerability elements. Required input includes an Impact Chain from ICE+ and data for at least one indicator per vulnerability element.
RAMSES Vulnerability assessment	M	X				X	Expert-opinion based method for determining and scoring vulnerabilities. The descriptions are clear, sometime supported by examples and suggestions. As a method, it leaves a significant amount of work to the interpretation of the user group involved with performing the analysis.
RAMSES Determining key climate risks for cities	M	X				X	Expert-opinion based simple method to score climate hazards on risk.
Risk systemicity questionnaire	T	X	X	X		X	User-friendly excel tool with examples and support which guides the user through an assessment of likelihood of both climate-related and other risks.
BBK Method of Risk Analysis for Civil Protection	M	X	X		X	X	Can be used to determine hazards, likelihood and impacts. Covers also natural hazards. Focused on civil protection in Germany, but general enough to be applied in other countries and for other uses.
ClimateJust	T	X	X		X	X	Maps help to identify those who are at greatest risk (combination of likelihood and impact) of climate disadvantage. UK only
Adaptation options
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
RESIN Adaptation Options Library	T	X		X		X	On-line tool which allows to find adaptation options for particular hazards and city contexts in a large, scientifically founded database
Adaptation support tool	T				X	X	Tool that estimates the effectiveness and costs of adaptation measures. Available online From autumn 2018.
Blue Green Dream	T	X	X		X		Consultant-operated tool. Supports the modelling and calculation of water management situations before and after adaptation measures have been taken.
Future Cities Adaptation Compass	T	X		X		X	User-friendly Excel tool providing support for choosing the best-fitting adaptation options. Also guides the user through a vulnerability and risk assessment. Has problems with visualisation on some versions of Excel. German version of the tool also available.
Prioritising / selecting options
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
Climact Prio	T	X	X	X		X	Interactive excel format for a multi-criteria approach
RAMSES Calculating the economic costs of health impacts and adaptation	M	X				X	Method description, supported by a spreadsheet, to make an inventory of costs associated with adaptation measures and create an overview of investment and annual costs of each measure.
RAMSES Identifying and prioritizing different adaptation options	M	X				X	Method description for a quick (but not systemic) assessment of adaptation options you might consider.
EconAdapt multi-criteria analysis method	M	X		X		X	Description of MCA method, how to use, when to use.
EconAdapt multi-criteria analysis of adaptation options tool	T	X		X		X	Excel MCA tool, automated using macros, adaptable, but only for Excel experts
GIZ Multi Criteria Analysis Template IMACC 2012	T	X		X		X	Excel MCA tool, more straightforward and including the use of scenarios. Adaptable for Excel knowledgable users
EconAdapt cost-benefit analysis	M	X		X		X	Description of CBA method, how to use, when to use.
GIZ Cost Benefit Analysis Template IMACC 2012	T	X		X		X	Excel CBA tool
EconAdapt Cost-effectiveness analysis	M	X	X			X	Description of cost effectiveness method, how to use, when to use.
EconAdapt real-option analysis	M	X		X		X	Description of real-option analysis method, how to use, when to use.
EconAdapt Robust decision making	M	X		X		X	Description of robust decision making method, how to use, when to use.
EconAdapt Minimizing maximum regret	T	X	X			X	Simple Excel tool for demonstrating Robust Decision Making
EconAdapt Iterative risk management / adaptive management	M	X	X			X	Simple decision making framework that supports the development of a flexible, dynamic approach to adaptation.
EconAdapt Portfolio Analysis	M	X		X		X	Methodology to design and evaluate the value of a combination of adaptation options thereby addressing uncertainty. PA is resource intensive, requires a high degree of expert knowledge and relies on the availability of quantitative data
EconAdapt Portfolio analysis tool	T	X	X			X	Simple Excel tool demonstrating the EconAdapt Portfolio analysis
Future Cities Adaptation Compass	T	X		X		X	User-friendly Excel tool providing support for choosing the best-fitting adaptation options. Also guides the user through a vulnerability and risk assessment. Has problems with visualisation on some versions of Excel.
Optioneering	M	X	X	X		X	Method to determine financial aspects of choosing adaptation options also in light of general urban development initiatives. To be used in support of workshop. External consultancy required.
Bankability Resiliency Tool (BART)	T	X			X	X	Provides insight in (financial engineered) added value of adaptation options, opportunities to capture value of related developments and possible financial arrangements.
Target setting and Monitoring & evaluation
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
RAMSES Identifying Indicators for resilient architecture and infrastructure	M	X				X	High-level overview of steps to take to create a set of indicators to monitor climate adaptation progress.
RAMSES Backcasting to identify long-term climate adaptation goals	M	X				X	High-level overview of steps to take to define adaptation goals and translate them into concrete action plans.
Stakeholder involvement and commitment
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
Influence matrix	M	X	X		X	X	Description of a general method to collect information on and visualize the relative position of different stakeholders and their power dynamics
Radical transactiveness	M	X		X		X	Description of a general method to identify stakeholders and issues
Stakeholder-led stakeholder categorization	M	X			X	X	Description of a method in which stakeholders themselves create categories to position (other) stakeholders
Q method	M	X				X	Description of a general method to categorize stakeholders by collecting information on stakeholders viewpoints and beliefs
Salience method	M	X	X		X	X	Description of a general method to distinguish between stakeholders who should be directly involved in a participatory process and who should not.
Actor-linkage matrix	M	X				X	Description of a general method to collect information on stakeholders relationships
Social network analysis	M	X		X		X	Description of a general method to identify the network of stakeholders and to measure relational ties between stakeholders.
Knowledge mapping	M	X				X	Description of a general method to identify stakeholders relationships to know who would work well together as well as those with power balances
Institutional analysis	M	X		X		X	Description of a general method to analyze institutional arrangements and settings of stakeholder relations
Brainstorm sessions	M	X	X		X	X	Description of a general method to collect information on stakeholders interest and perspectives to be able to identify stakeholders
Semi-structured interviews	M	X		X		X	Description of a general method to to collect information on the context, the interest and perspectives of the stakeholders and the different stakeholder roles
Snowball mapping	M	X	X		X	X	Description of a general method to collect information on the all the stakeholders involved by the use of asking a few first known stakeholders for new stakeholders
RAMSES Stakeholder mapping and engagement	M	X			X	X	High-level description of how to identify and typify potential stakeholders in a workshop setting.
MDSS5	T	X				X	Tool suite (stand-alone executable) supporting actor analysis and collaborative decision making in the context of environmental sculpting.
Method – Capacity building	M	X	X			X	Method to systematically assess Assessment of the competences of the stakeholders, organisation and individuals involved in the climate adaptation process.
Communication
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
RAMSES Communicating the urgency of adaptation and local accomplishments	M	X				X	High-level description of how to create communication plans for specific (groups of) stakeholders.
Dealing with complexity and uncertainty
	Method or tool	Free to use	Suited for beginner	Thorough	Quick	Autonomous use	Remarks
Scenario analysis	M	X		X		X	Scenario analyses facilitate decicions makers and investors by showing robustness of measures
Adaptive policy making	M	X		X		X	Adaptive policy making is a thorough approach to increase flexibility in the governmental organisation and policy making.
Pathway design approach	M	X		X		X	The adaptation pathway provides an analytical approach for exploring and sequencing a set of possible actions based on alternative external developments over time.
Integrated planning challenge	M	X		X		X	An integrated planning challenge increases the capacity of local government to work cross-siloed and exploit synergies of multi-domain projects.