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β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…   Horizon Europe Β· Grant No. 101112728 Β· climempower.eu

ClimEmpower:
Risk Map
Methodology

Navigating Hazard, Exposure, and Vulnerability for Localized Resilience.

ClimEmpower climate risk methodology for Drought, Heatwaves, Wildfires and Floods, with documented variables, asset-specific approaches and final computation.

🌾 Drought 🌑 Heatwave πŸ”₯ Wildfires πŸ’§ Floods πŸ“š References
Risk Map Grid Framework ↓ Browse ClimEmpower Methods & Data on Zenodo β†— Methods, Data & Downloads ↓ Adaptation Measures β†—
CLIMEMPOWER RISK EQUATION
H
Γ—
E
Γ—
V
=
R
H = Hazard E = Exposure V = Vulnerability R = Calculated risk result
Hazards
Drought Β· Heatwaves Β· Wildfires Β· Floods
Drought / Heatwave / Wildfire model
Hazard Γ— Exposure Γ— Vulnerability
Classification
Five qualitative classes normalized to each region’s maximum risk
Risk classes
Very Low Β· Low Β· Moderate Β· High Β· Very High β€” region-normalized
Method rule
Keep asset-specific exposure profiles separate
Local data
Use higher-resolution local data where available and document limitations
MODULE 02 // THE CORE EQUATION

Drought, Heatwave & Wildfire Risk = Hazard Γ— Exposure Γ— Vulnerability

The ClimEmpower risk assessment workflow treats Hazard (H), Exposure (E) and Vulnerability (V) as distinct components. After the input variables are processed on a common scale, the final risk score is calculated as R = H Γ— E Γ— V.

HHazard
EExposure
VVulnerability
RCalculated Risk

Hazard

A climate-related event or process with the potential to cause harm.

Exposure

The presence of people, assets or ecosystems in areas affected by the hazard.

Vulnerability

The susceptibility of exposed elements to suffer harm or loss.

Risk Result

The H, E and V component values are multiplied. The resulting map is then normalized against the maximum calculated risk within each region.

MODULE 03 // COMPONENT CONSTRUCTION

Build Each Component, Then Multiply

Where several variables make up one component, the ClimEmpower Risk Methodology aggregates them using equal weighting. For three variables, each contributes 0.33; for two variables, each contributes 0.5.

1. Standardise inputs

Convert variables to a comparable scoring scale where required and document whether higher or lower raw values represent higher risk.

2. Construct H, E and V

Aggregate the variables belonging to the same component using equal weighting, while keeping the hazard- and asset-specific risk profiles shown on each hazard page.

3. Calculate risk

R = H Γ— E Γ— V

The resulting risk values are used for region-specific normalization and qualitative classification.

For the final operational risk maps, the five qualitative class thresholds are calculated dynamically for each region from that region’s maximum calculated risk value. Fixed universal class intervals are not specified in the final methodology.
METHODOLOGY SCOPE // TWO COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES

Common ClimEmpower and Andalusian risk mapping

Both approaches support climate-risk understanding, but they are designed for different purposes. The common ClimEmpower method is broader and highly replicable across the five case-study regions. The Andalusian method is more locally tailored and supports detailed flood mapping for Costa del Sol.

Comparison of the common ClimEmpower approach, which uses European data for receptor-specific maps across five regions, and the local-data-focused Andalusian approach, including detailed pluvial flood mapping.

Common ClimEmpower methodology

  • Designed for 5 ClimEmpower regions
  • Uses European open data
  • Produces receptor-specific risk maps
  • Typically covers drought, heatwaves, wildfires and river flooding

Andalusian methodology

  • Tailored to the Western Costa del Sol / Andalusia case
  • Uses EU, regional and local data
  • Includes detailed pluvial-flood modelling
  • Best suited where local rainfall and drainage data are available

For full flood-specific outputs and direct record access, go to the flood methodology and the Methods, Data & Downloads section.

MODULE 04 // ASSET-SPECIFIC RISK

Hazards and Risk Profiles Covered

The ClimEmpower Risk Maps cover hazard- and asset-specific risk profiles. Drought, Heatwaves and Wildfires use the documented H Γ— E Γ— V scoring methodology; Floods use the supported flood-specific, asset- and scenario-specific workflow.

Hazard ↓ / Asset β†’
Agriculture
Population & Health
Infrastructure
Ecosystems / Biodiversity
Tourism
Flood-specific output
🌾 Drought
βœ“
βœ“
β€”
β€”
β€”
β€”
🌑 Heatwaves
β€”
βœ“
β€”
β€”
β€”
β€”
πŸ”₯ Wildfires
βœ“
βœ“
βœ“
βœ“
βœ“
β€”
πŸ’§ Fluvial Flood
β€”
β€”
βœ“
β€”
β€”
Direct economic damage
🌧️ Pluvial Flood
β€”
β€”
β€”
β€”
β€”
People & vehicle hazard
METHODS, DATA & DOWNLOADS

Quick access to methods and datasets

Use the direct links below for verified records and key project resources. Platform maps and downloadable Zenodo datasets are not always the same, so each card states what is currently confirmed.

VERIFIED RECORD

River Flooding Risk Assessment Methodology and Maps

Present-condition river-flood hazard and direct-damage outputs for 10-, 100- and 500-year return periods.

Open river-flood methodology and maps β†—

Important: the presentations mention additional drought, heatwave and wildfire products, but separate verified record links for those hazards were not independently confirmed here. Use the community page to check the current publication status.

🌾
CLIMATE HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT

Drought

Population and Agriculture

The final ClimEmpower Risk Methodology uses SPI-6 as the drought hazard variable. Population and Agriculture are assessed as separate risk profiles; exposure and vulnerability variables are combined within each component using equal weighting.

H
SPI-6Final drought hazard indicator
2
Risk profilesPopulation and Agriculture
Explore full drought methodology β†’
🌑
CLIMATE HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT

Heatwaves

People & Health

The final ClimEmpower Risk Methodology represents heat hazard with tropical nights: daily minimum near-surface air temperature above 20Β°C. Exposure maps the presence of population and social facilities/basic services; vulnerability combines age distribution, proximity to green and blue cooling areas, population density and social-facility importance.

H
Tropical nights >20Β°CSeven annual exposure classes from 0–10 to >150 nights
Explore full heatwave methodology β†’
πŸ”₯
CLIMATE HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT

Wildfires

Asset-Specific Risk

Wildfire hazard combines the Seasonal Fire Weather Index and Burnable Vegetation. Burnable Vegetation is explicitly treated as a hazard variable. Risk is differentiated for Population, Ecosystems/Biodiversity, Infrastructure, Tourism and Agriculture.

H
FWI + Burnable VegetationEqually weighted hazard variables
5
Risk profilesPopulation, Ecosystems/Biodiversity, Infrastructure, Tourism and Agriculture
Explore full wildfire methodology β†’
πŸ’§
CLIMATE HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT

Floods

Fluvial Flood & Direct Economic Damage

The Fluvial Flood chapter follows the tested CLIMAAX river-flood risk workflow adapted for ClimEmpower: present-condition JRC/CEMS flood-depth maps are combined with LUISA 2018 land use, JRC depth-damage curves and GDP-scaled maximum damage values using DamageScanner. Outputs are direct economic damage GeoTIFFs in EUR per raster cell for RP10, RP100 and RP500 (RP250 only if RP500 is unavailable).

H
RP10 Β· RP100 Β· RP500Present-condition river-flood depth
3
DamageScannerDirect damage in EUR per raster cell
Explore full flood methodology β†’
SYNTHESIS // THE RESILIENCE LOOP

From Risk Assessment to Resilience Action

Risk maps identify potential impacts, while resilience indicators and adaptation measures help assess preparedness and response capacities. Measures may lower exposure or vulnerability, but their effect should be evaluated rather than assumed.

1Map the ThreatIdentify hazard intensity & extent
2Isolate VulnerabilityPinpoint sensitivity & weak systems
3Deploy InterventionsImplement targeted actions
4Increase Adaptive CapacityStrengthen systems & reduce vulnerability
5Evaluate OutcomesReassess risk where data and methods allow

Resilience indicators complement risk maps

ClimEmpower identified measurable indicators across health and wellbeing; population, society and education; economy and labour market; infrastructure; governance, strategy and planning; and environment and settlement areas. Indicators can help identify regional strengths and weaknesses, track changes over time and inform adaptation decisions.

Indicator selection considered relevance to urban, rural and agricultural regions, stakeholder priorities and data availability. Some useful indicators cannot currently be calculated consistently because the required data are missing or insufficiently detailed. Comparisons therefore depend on indicator definitions, spatial resolution and data quality.

Resilience indicator factsheets – Zenodo reference supplied by the AIT presentation β†— (Publication metadata not independently verified.) Project deliverables D2.1–D2.4 β†—

Region-specific classification infographic showing five exposure classes and how the classification is calculated. The map is an illustrative example only.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

References

Open the standalone References page for the academic and institutional sources underlying the ClimEmpower risk map methodology, hazard science and adaptation evidence base.

Open References β†’