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Climate change and urban areas: Development of a climate change risk and vulnerability Assessment Tool

Cavan, G., Kingston, R., Lindley, S., Kazmierczak, A., Carter, J., Gong, Yi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2936-4476 and Handley, J. 2010. Climate change and urban areas: Development of a climate change risk and vulnerability Assessment Tool. Presented at: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (RICS) COBRA 2010 research conference, Dauphine Université Paris, France, 2-3 September 2010. Proceedings of the RICS Cobra International Research Conference, 2010. RICS Research Conference COBRA. London: RICS,

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Abstract

Assessment of climate change risks and vulnerability is essential in order to inform and implement appropriate adaptation strategies. Disastrous effects of extreme weather events such as the heat waves across Europe in 2003 highlight the adaptation imperative. Regional spatial planning and urban design can help to reduce the vulnerability of communities to these risks. The Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco Towns (GRaBS) Interreg IVC project (2008-2011) involves four research institutions and ten European municipalities. GRaBS aims to develop good practice adaptation action plans to help co-ordinate the delivery of adaptation strategies within the project partner’s areas. The preparation of these adaptation action plans is informed by an Assessment Tool, which highlights climate change vulnerabilities and risks in urban areas. This paper reports on the development of the Assessment Tool at the University of Manchester, and the results of pilot and user testing with the GRaBS project partners. The approach is based on the findings of the Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in the Urban Environment (ASCCUE) project, which implements a risk framework, focusing on the three elements; hazard, vulnerability and exposure. Thus, the Assessment Tool assesses vulnerability of population and infrastructure in urban areas to climate change impacts (in particular flooding and heat stress). It also enables spatially relating patterns of vulnerability with risk where data is available. The tool follows the principles of an on-line Public Participation GIS, and is built using the Google Maps Interface. The results of the pilot study confirm that the Assessment Tool is seen as innovative, cost effective, intuitive and simple to use and navigate. Furthermore, by helping to visualise vulnerability of urban areas it may be useful in supporting planning of both emergency responses and long-term land use changes.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Medicine
Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACES)
Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
Uncontrolled Keywords: Climate change adaptation; urban areas; vulnerability; risk assessment; PPGIS
Publisher: RICS
ISBN: 9781842196199
Last Modified: 21 Oct 2022 10:30
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/40418

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