This tool is designed to help users to assess communities’ vulnerability to climate hazards such as flooding, extreme heat and drought.
The tool compiles census data for indicators such as housing quality, unemployment rate, and average education levels (amongst others) to analyze the vulnerability of a given community to climate change. The tool also provides an index or score of socio-economic vulnerability for each census-defined small area within a region of interest. These data can be used in tandem with assessments of bio-physical impacts from climate change, or can be used as a standalone resource to inform decision-making. The data provided by this tool allow users to better understand climate change risks for a given community, and to compare risks across regions using an easy-to-use map interface. The tool is intended to support decision-makers in municipal government and in industry sectors such as transport, water and agriculture, to assist both climate change adaptation and the transition to a carbon neutral economy.
Cork: will use the SVI Tool in combination with all three of its other REACHOUT tools, and as part of its statutory obligations to develop and implement a Local Authority Climate Action Plan in 2023 .
Athens: TBC will use the SVI tool to identify areas of high vulnerable population density and combine to the output of thermal assessment tool – this will allow Athens to target better its heat-related work .
Logroño will use the tool to better define and understand the SVI with regard to the heat and flood hazard and be able to identify areas (neighbourhoods) of high social vulnerability Additionally, Logroño is interested on combine the social vulnerability outcome maps with the thermal assessment tool – heatmaps, to target better its heat-related risk
Gdynia: will use the SVI Tool in conjunction with the Climate Resilient Cities Tool in order to support spatial adaptation decisions for the city. These tools will support the municipality and stakeholders in identifying effective measures in certain locations. In addition, the SVI Tool will provide a broader view of the most vulnerable communities in these locations.
The tool can be used in the following Triple-A phases:
Analysis phase:
Ambition phase:
Action phase:
Overall level of complexity: Level 2 (customized approach)
An overview of the methodology used for development of the SVI Tool is provided in the following journal article, available on request:
Fitton, JM, O’Dwyer, B, Maher, B (Forthcoming) ‘Developing a social vulnerability to environmental hazards index to inform climate action in Ireland’. Irish Geography, 54(2), 157-180
An example of the user interface for the SVI Tool is currently under development and a draft version can be shared with tool users in the interim.
Data protection
2022 © Copyright REACHOUT
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036599.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036599.
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