Climate Resilient Development Pathways (CRDP) aim to integrate adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development objectives into flexible pathways over time, while considering deep uncertainties regarding climate change, as well as other sources of uncertainty. CRDP support integrated urban planning and implementation of climate action.
CRDP closely consider mitigation targets, and can be used for flood and heat impacts, as well as for a wide variety of development issues. The main target groups of the approach are decision makers and/or urban planners, although a wider engagement is recommended for different steps during the co-creation process of pathways.
The climate resilient development pathways design process starts by envisioning multiple desirable futures and understanding the decision context and current policy objectives and actions, for adaptation, mitigation and development. Thereafter the synergies and trade-offs are assessed between the different climate actions, as well as tipping points are identified – meaning points in time when new action setting will be required. Consequently, alternative actions are co-developed for the future to stay on desirable pathways. The final outcome is a pathways map, as well as an implementation and monitoring plan.
The tool can operate on different levels of complexity from Medium-to-High depending on the type of approach choosen: respectively, qualitative (narrative) pathway or quantitative (data driven) pathway.
Cork is using the tool to support flexible integrative planning of mitigation, adaptation and sustianable development through co-developing pathways over time at the municiaplity level. The pathways start with existing policy and targets, and are complemented with alternative measures. The outcomes show the synergies and trade-offs between adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development actions, as well as critical decisions Cork is facing in the near to long term to become a resilient city. Read more in this paper.
Logroño is currenly using the tool to support awareness about the potential complementarities or interfering effects among adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development objectives with the idea to support the development of a common vision and targets considering these thematic areas and plan future city interventions in more integrated manner.
The tool enables:
Qualitative/illustrative pathways: in the order of several weeks up to 1-2 months in person-days.
Quantitative, model-based pathways: in the order of a couple of months in person-days (depending on complexity and models used etc.).
The tool can be used in the following Triple-A phases:
Langendijk, Gaby S. and McEvoy, Sadie and McCullagh, Denise and Haasnoot, Marjolijn, A Stepwise Approach to Operationalise Climate Resilient Development Pathways Planning – with an Illustrative Application for Cork City in Ireland. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4998837
The CRDP can integrate and complement outputs from other tools, such as the CRCTool or FloodAdapt tool, SVI Tool or Thermal Assessment Tool, as these tools provide risk/vulnerable areas, tipping points and/or possible adaptation options that are valuable input for desing flexible climate resilient development pathways.
During an extreme rainfall event, Jan watches in fear as water rises dangerously close to flooding his apartment. His experience highlights the urgent need for climate adaptation in Gdynia, inspiring the community to take action and build a more resilient future together.
