The process
The five steps of a CDRA
Each step takes defined inputs and produces outputs the next step needs. Skipping one leaves the following step without evidence to work from.
Step 1
Collect and organise climate change and hazard information
Assemble what is already known about the hazards and climate changes that affect the locality, and turn it into usable maps and tables.
Key activities
- •List the hazards that have historically affected the locality
- •Gather agency-issued hazard susceptibility maps and climate projections
- •Validate maps against local experience and past disaster records
- •Prepare hazard characterisation sheets (extent, frequency, severity, duration)
Inputs needed
- •Hazard susceptibility and multi-hazard maps from national agencies
- •Climate projections for the province or region
- •Historical disaster and damage records
- •Community hazard-mapping outputs
Outputs produced
- •Validated hazard maps per hazard type
- •Climate change parameters for the plan period
- •Hazard characterisation table
Step 2
Scope the potential impacts of hazards and climate change
Work out which sectors, areas, and systems could plausibly be affected, so the assessment stays focused on what matters.
Key activities
- •Identify the decision areas and sectors relevant to the plan
- •Trace likely chains of impact from each hazard
- •Agree with stakeholders on the scope and depth of assessment
- •Set aside hazards or sectors with negligible expected impact
Inputs needed
- •Validated hazard maps
- •Sectoral profiles and plans
- •Stakeholder consultation results
Outputs produced
- •Scoping matrix of hazards against sectors
- •Agreed assessment boundaries
- •Priority impact chains
Step 3
Build the exposure database
Record what is actually located in each hazard-prone area — people, buildings, facilities, lifelines, and natural resources.
Key activities
- •Compile population and household data by barangay
- •Inventory urban use areas, critical point facilities, and lifeline utilities
- •Map natural resources and production areas
- •Overlay each exposure layer with each hazard layer
Inputs needed
- •Census and barangay population records
- •Building and facility inventories
- •Road, water, and power network data
- •Land use and natural resource maps
Outputs produced
- •Exposure database by barangay and sector
- •Exposure maps per hazard
- •Counts of exposed population, structures, and facilities
Step 4
Conduct the climate and disaster risk assessment
Combine exposure with sensitivity and adaptive capacity to produce a risk score for each exposure unit and hazard.
Key activities
- •Rate sensitivity for each exposed element
- •Rate the adaptive capacity available to respond
- •Compute vulnerability and combine with hazard likelihood
- •Classify results into Low/Neutral, Medium, High, and Very High risk
Inputs needed
- •Exposure database
- •Sensitivity indicators
- •Adaptive capacity indicators
- •Hazard likelihood ratings
Outputs produced
- •Risk scores by sector and hazard
- •Risk maps
- •Ranked list of decision areas
Step 5
Summarise findings and carry them into planning
Turn the risk results into planning statements and interventions that a land use plan and investment programme can act on.
Key activities
- •Write up risk findings per decision area
- •Choose a risk management option for each finding
- •Translate findings into land use policy and zoning implications
- •Feed interventions into the local development investment programme
Inputs needed
- •Risk scores and maps
- •Decision area descriptions
- •Existing plan and zoning provisions
Outputs produced
- •CDRA summary report
- •Risk-informed land use and zoning recommendations
- •Prioritised interventions with timeframes
CDRA Philippines is an independent educational module of SmartCity.ph. It is not an official application of DHSUD, USAID, PAGASA, or any other government agency, and it is not endorsed by them. Official documents referenced here identify their issuing agency and link back to the original source. All municipal figures, maps, and risk scores shown in the demo are fictional.