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Climate Adaptation Options Explorer (ADX)

The ADx tool is designed to operate as a meta-tool in which several promising decision methods can be compared to provide support to adaptation planning.
Multiple Authors

Adaptation decision-making is challenging; it requires not only an understanding of present and future climate hazards but also of the socio-economic contexts in which adaptation will be implemented. As the ‘social complexity’ increases the relative importance of precise climate information may decrease. To the extent that generic decision support tools are appropriate, there are many existing tools and methods that can be applied to the problem of climate adaptation. At the same time, there are new tools appearing that address the demand for climate information specifically, eg. downscaling, or for the integration of climate information with other priorities in adaptation decision-making.

The ADx concept falls into the latter category; it is designed to operate as a meta-tool in which adaptation options can be compared within and across different analytical methods. Its objective is to provide support to adaptation planning, i.e. guidance and tools on how to choose among the many strategies and measures that are available to decision makers. We have developed a prototype tool consisting of a shell, through which users can access several engines to select adaptation options. Users choose an appropriate engine or several different engines – each one being an implementation of a type of approach/method. Engines are selected according to their fit to the the data, context, and objective of the users, and the combined results can also be compared via the shell, providing a more robust analytical approach.

The aim is to integrate the ADx with the best available climate information; decision-support tools such as the Climate Information Portal (CIP) that allows identification of options that are robust against a wide variety of future climate conditions, will be used in conjunction with the ADx. Thus the decision-maker will identify and explore from among the following sets of inputs: adaptation options, decision methods, climate scenarios and socio-economic scenarios. The approach aligns with that of the CIP: taking explicit account of uncertainty and aiming to achieve robust rather than optimal decisions. The philosophy of ADx is there is no cure-all method to analyse everything: do not rely on only one approach!

ADX Prototype

Download the current prototype of the Climate Adaptation Options explorer (ADX):

Current version (ADX v2-2) (Older versions ADX version 2-1 ADX version 2 )

To launch this Java application, double click the jar file or type “java -jar ADX_v2-2.jar”

You will need to have the Java Runtime (JRE) installed (if any problems are encountered we suggest first to update your version of Java; the current version is compatible with JRE6)

Example XML files required for input of options (these are also included in the ADX load menu and in the /related directory) can be downloaded separately here (right click -> Save As..):

The ADX prototype has the open source GPL3 and the source is available at https://github.com/richarit/ADX-dev

ADX example applications

These examples are used in the Climate ADX User Guide and online materials. See these weADAPT articles/placemarks for further information about the ADx case study applications:

Greater Banjul Area

Mekong Bridge

Tanzania NAPA

HEALTHY FUTURES: Responding to changing disease risks in East Africa

We also include ADX examples in our adaptation decision-making training module. Participants are asked to bring their own case studies and we help them identify adaptation options and attributes, goals and decision criteria.

References for applications of ADX

Taylor, R. and Coll Besa, M. (2014) 1st HEALTHY FUTURES Stakeholder Engagement Workshop Report, Stockholm Environment Institute. Available on this page.

Ampomah, G. and Devisscher T. (2013) Adaptation Toolkit. Guidebook for researchers and Adaptation Practitioners Working with Local Communities, ENDA/UNITAR. Available from https://weadapt.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-decision-making/adaptation-tool-kit-navigation-page

How to cite (example)

Taylor, R. (2014) Climate Adaptation Options Explorer (ADX) (Version 2.1) [Software]. Available from http://weadapt.org/knowledge-base/adaptation-decision-making/adaptation-decision-explorer

Further information:

Linked Projects

The ADx concept, the decision-making engines and prototype tool are being developed at various levels within the following projects:

CIRCE (2008-2011), C3D+ (2011-2012), Mediation (2011-2013) and Healthy Futures (2013-2014).

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