Project Overview

The Vulnerability, Consequences, and Adaptation Planning Scenarios (VCAPS) process is a dialogue-based diagramming process that helps communities assess vulnerability to natural hazards. We developed this process with funding from NOAA and MIT Sea Grant, and since 2008 we have implemented VCAPS 14 times, in 13 communities and 6 states. Others have also adopted VCAPS and used it to support adaptation planning in Colorado and Hawaii.

In a VCAPS process decision makers, technical experts, and residents come together to document the state of local and expert knowledge about the consequences of climate-related stressors in a specific municipality. Participants explore how contextual factors of coupled human and natural systems influence the dynamics and impacts of stressors, and the effectiveness of potential management actions. Contextual factors include behavioral, social, cultural, economic, institutional, and environmental features of the local community that may impact vulnerability and risk. VCAPS has been used to consider hazard management and adaptation related to:

·      Hazard mitigation planning
·      Local comprehensive planning
·      Fisheries management
·      Storm water management
·      Community adaptation to climate stressors, including sea level rise, severe storms, heat waves, etc. 

For More Information

about VCAPS, including description of the process, reports from different communities, and publications, please visit www.vcapsforplanning.org

Projects

Promoting climate change awareness and adaptive planning in Atlantic fisheries communities using dialogue-based participatory vulnerability analysis. NOAA Coastal Oceans Climate Adaptation (COCA) Program.

Using participatory scenario building to encourage climate-resilient zoning in the coastal Carolinas. National Sea Grant Program.

Improving understandings of consequences, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies to climate change related hazards.  MIT Sea Grant.

Informing coastal management adaptation planning and decision making for climate change using an interactive risk-based vulnerability assessment tool. NOAA Sectoral Applications Research Program (SARP).