About the Tool

About the Tool 

The Climate Resilience and Equity Tool was developed by researchers at Brock University in collaboration with a municipal partner to increase the consideration of resilience and equity in municipal climate planning and action.  Specifically, it is designed to help municipal staff understand whether a climate initiative will build social-ecological resilience and support social equity. Climate resilience refers to the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events or disturbances related to climate. While climate equity ensures the just distribution of the benefits of climate protection efforts and alleviates unequal burdens created by climate change. 

How does the tool work?   

This tool is a free web-based survey that should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.  Through 26 questions, staff members are asked whether a new initiative incorporates elements of climate resilience and equity. The tool will generate a score that can be used to understand the initiative’s contribution to climate resilience and equity and monitor progress over time. 

Why is it needed?  

Climate change is a cross-cutting issue that impacts all areas of municipal work and service delivery. Reducing the negative impacts of climate change requires the inclusion of climate resilience and equity. This tool provides a mechanism to understand, benchmark, and improve initiatives’ consideration of climate resilience and equity. 

Why resilience and equity?  

The notion of building climate resilience has been endorsed at the highest policy levels. Moreover, social justice and equity are increasingly recognized as core aspects of climate-resilient development pathways. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2022 sixth assessment report highlights the importance of advancing climate resilience and equity.  

Who should use it? 

The tool is designed to be used by all staff in a municipality. It is designed to be applicable to all municipal climate initiatives. For staff unfamiliar with climate change concepts, a range of informational resources are supplied here. Additionally, please contact your climate staff where they exist. Municipalities must decide the scope of initiatives the tool should be applied to and how to enforce its use.