Becoming more resilient to climate change involves both mitigation and adaptation. Many institutions are already thinking about mitigation; how they can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, among other strategies. However, climate change is already affecting our day-to-day lives and forward-thinking institutions are already planning for adaptation.
Climate Resiliency Planning
Climate vulnerability assessments (CVA) are an extremely helpful tool used in communities to adapt to climate change by providing a framework for awareness and action. CVAs provide insight into how local climate patterns are changing, what the potential consequences might be for a community or organization, and how groups may respond. Core components of a CVA include identifying climate impacts, determining consequences, documenting the process and findings, and prioritizing actions.
Our CVA Process
Every CVA starts with Verdis determining what climate impacts the organization or community will face. Next, Verdis designs and facilitates workshops that ask staff to ideate the potential consequences the climate impacts will have, and reflect on the adaptive capacity of the organization. Verdis conducts interviews to determine non-climate stressors, evaluate the likelihood of impacts occurring, and risk levels.
In some cases, the process is complete at this phase, delivering a report to your organization highlighting your climate vulnerabilities.
Once key vulnerabilities are identified, a strategy identification workshop can be conducted, focusing on reducing risk and building resilience. Once strategies have been brainstormed and consensus has been built, top-line goals may be developed. The result is a highly actionable plan to increase adaptation to climate change.
