Guidelines, Tools, and Assessments

This tab includes tools and guides for how to conduct vulnerability assessments and develop adaptation plans with a focus on "frontline communities." It also includes vulnerability and risk assessments that consider socioeconomic factors along with climate risks. 

Resources are automatically presented by date. Apply additional filters to narrow the list by organization type of author, state, jurisdictional focus, region, or tool type.

 

 

54 results are shown below.

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Resource

Building Community Resilience in Maricopa County, Arizona

October 2016

In Maricopa County, Arizona - Greater Phoenix area - the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) has supported a multi-stakeholder project to build community engagement, social cohesion, and climate resilience. In partnership with Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, a place-based foundation focused on strengthening Maricopa County, ISC has completed this assessment of community resilience by researching local Social, Economic, and Environmental resilience. In this report, ISC offers a strategic framework to build community resilience in Maricopa, and to help guide the evolution of the Trust’s programming and grant-making in 2016 and beyond.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Steve Adams, Henry McKay, Karina French

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Vermont Climate and Health Profile Report: Building Resilience against Climate Change in Vermont

September 2016

The Vermont Department of Health completed a comprehensive assessment of public health impacts of climate change, as a step toward furthering development of public health adaptation strategies for the state. The report summarizes climate trends and future projections for Vermont; synthesizes the health impacts of climate change, and evaluates the public health threat posed by each exposure in the context of Vermont-specific climate projections. The work is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and utilizes the process as defined in the CDC’s Building Resilience against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective, Detroit, Michigan

August 2016

We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective (WPD CRC) is a collaboration among community activists, academics, researchers, and designers in Detroit, Michigan studying the impact of water insecurity, water policy, social equity, and health among local residents. The research process included (1) mapping the geographic impact of water policies on the city; (2) conducting a city-wide community survey to assess the health needs after a disaster; (3) a citizen science project to test the impact of water shutoffs on residential water quality; and (4) a story mapping project to support youth in telling individual and collective narratives about the impact of austerity on their community. The community based participatory research process has provided statistically significant data to demonstrate the impact of policy interventions on water insecurity and psychological distress among residents.  WPD CRC serves as an example of how community participatory research led by community-based organizations can effectively collect qualitative data from local communities and further apply to policy development. 

Resource Category: Organizations

 

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Populations at Risk Tool

Populations at Risk is an online tool that can be used to determine socioeconomic information about populations more likely to experience adverse social, health, or economic outcomes, due to their race, age, gender, poverty status, or other potential risk factors.

Resource Category: Data and tools

 

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California Disadvantaged Communities Mapping Tool

June 2016

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has developed a web-based application to assist in evaluating disadvantaged community status throughout the State. This publicly available mapping tool shows disadvantaged communities of California, in funding areas as recognized pursuant to California Proposition 1 and Proposition 84. 

Resource Category: Data and tools

 

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Maryland Coast Smart Community Scorecard

The Coast Smart Community Scorecard is a self-assessment tool for coastal communities in Maryland that offers a practical method to assess preparedness for coastal hazards and climate change impacts. The Scorecard provides a mechanism for planners, natural resource managers, emergency management professionals and other local officials to identify ways that they can integrate coastal hazard impacts into existing planning, management, and regulatory programs.

Resource Category: Planning

 

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States at Risk: America’s Preparedness Report Card 

January 20, 2016

America’s Preparedness Report Card is a national analysis of state level preparedness for climate change weather-related risks for all 50 states. Climate Central and ICF International identified states with considerable and significantly increasing levels of five major climate threats, including extreme heat, drought, wildfires, inland and coastal flooding, with an emphasis on risks to vulnerable populations. They also assessed climate change preparedness actions that each of the states are taking for their current and future projected impacts.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Miami-Dade in Hot Water: Why Building Equitable Climate Resilience is Key to Public Health and Economic Stability in South Florida

January 2016

This Center for American Progress report analyzes many of the climate change vulnerabilities facing Miami-Dade County, Florida, with a focus on the county’s lowest-income residents. The report provides broad policy recommendations for the county to help combat the effects of climate change.

Authors or Affiliated Users: Miranda Peterson, Cathleen Kelly, Madeleine Boel

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Rhode Island 2015 Climate Change and Health Resiliency Report

2015

The Rhode Island Department of Health’s Climate Change and Health Resiliency Report identifies the climate change impacts on public health in Rhode Island, and offers strategies that can strengthen the effectiveness of public health management for climate impacts in the state. The report describes the threats that climate change poses to the state and its vulnerable populations, and details ongoing and planned best practices to counter these threats and protect vulnerable groups. The Department of Health Climate Change Program (HEALTH) has implemented climate adaptation projects that are highlighted throughout the report, along with Rhode Island case studies, and examples of best practices from across the country.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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Cambridge, Massachusetts Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment - Part I

November 2015

The City of Cambridge, Massachusetts completed a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) which primarily focuses on the City’s vulnerabilities to increasing temperature and precipitation, while addressing risks from sea level rise and storm surge flooding through 2030. The CCVA report consists of a 36 page summary report and three supplemental technical reports. Cambridge also completed Part 2 of the CCVA which discusses sea level rise and coastal storm surge impacts projected for the area.

Resource Category: Assessments

 

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