Sharing Climate Adaptation Tools: Improving decision-making for development

This report summarizes a two-day workshop held in Geneva on April 11-12, 2007, which brought together 40 participants to share and discuss climate adaptation tools for international development. The workshop aimed to improve decision-making to reduce risks and identify opportunities associated with climate variability and change, specifically within the context of development assistance.

• The workshop identified a common approach to adaptation that treats climate-related impacts as an additional stressor, suggesting that adaptive responses should be integrated into existing priorities, languages, and decision-making structures.
• There is a significant gap in available tools for users between senior officials and grassroots community levels. The report suggests targeting 'champions' at intermediate levels, including local government, the private sector (specifically small and medium size enterprises), and traditional local leaders.
• The workshop observed that inefficient replication of tools appears limited among the presented examples, as different tools typically target specific user groups or niche approaches. Furthermore, the development of these tools serves as a driver for raising internal awareness and stimulating discussion regarding climate risk management.
• Climate adaptation tools are categorized into three main types: information generation/databases (e.g., PRECIS, CAIT), computer-based decision tools (e.g., CRiSTAL, ADAPT), and adaptation/risk management processes (e.g., Climate quick scans, ORCHID).
• The workshop was designed to support international efforts to create generic guidance for screening development assistance to integrate climate change, specifically in response to requests made to the OECD under the joint Ministerial Declaration on climate change and development cooperation and to the World Bank under the G8 Gleneagles Plan of Action.
• Participants expressed a general willingness to share tools, but noted concern regarding tools that are not open-access. Many tools are not yet 'finished products' due to their iterative nature and ongoing pilot phases.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2007). Sharing Climate Adaptation Tools: Improving decision-making for development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sharing_climate_adaptation_tools.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Sharing Climate Adaptation Tools: Improving decision-making for development. 2007. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sharing_climate_adaptation_tools.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Sharing Climate Adaptation Tools: Improving decision-making for development |date=2007 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sharing_climate_adaptation_tools.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2007sharing, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Sharing Climate Adaptation Tools: Improving decision-making for development}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2007}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/sharing_climate_adaptation_tools.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }