Environmental Impact Assessment Climate Change Resilience
Creator: Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (2020)
Type of methodology: Reporting framework
Approach type: CVRA (Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment)
Short description: Process-based methodology based on 7-steps to consider climate resilience in the EIA process. Also includes a CVRA methodology (preEIA) based on 3 steps: identifying risks; assessing/prioritising them/ formulating mitigation actions to reduce impacts.
URL to access information about the tool: http://example.com
Hazards covered: Precipitations and heavy rains
Audiences: Manufacturers and suppliers
Assessment level: Infrastructure (incl. buildings)
Evaluation system:
Probability x Consequence = Magnitude
Susceptibility x Vulnerability = Sensitivity
Magnitude x Sensitivity = Significance
+ Impact
+ Adaptation
Strengths:
- Detailed methodology for use in practice
- Widely used (in the UK)
Limits:
- UK-oriented (link to EIA)
- Not specific to buildings
This guide provides a framework for the effective consideration of climate change resilience and adaptation in the EIA process, through a 7-step approach. Steps 2 to 5 of this approach, deal with CVRA:
- Step 2 – Defining the future (climate) baseline
- Step 3 – Identifying and determining sensitivity of receptors
- Step 4 – Reviewing and determining magnitude of the effect
- Step 5 – Determination of significance
Alternatively, the guidance informs that if done before the EIA, building climate resilience can be integrated into the project by carrying out a “ex -ante” Climate Change is Assessment. The guide includes a Climate change risk assessment methodology (Steps):
- Identifying potential climate change risks to a scheme or project;
- Assessing these risks (potentially prioritising to identify the most severe);
- Formulating mitigation actions to reduce the impact of the identified risks.
