Some preparedness measures are suitable for all coastal elements. These rather informative measures like Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Vulnerability Assessments, or Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) can be applied in several contexts. Therefore, these and other can be considered as supporting tools in planning and implementing DRR measures.

Flood Hazard Mapping

Flood hazard mapping is an exercise to define those coastal areas which are at risk of flooding under extreme conditions.  As such, its primary objective is to reduce the impact of coastal flooding.  However, mapping of erosion risk areas may serve to achieve erosion risk reduction.  It acts as an information system to enhance our understanding and awareness of coastal risk.

Insurance Risk Financing

Insurance, risk financing, compensation and tax relief have two main purposes in the management of flood risk. Firstly, and most obviously, the provision of these financial mechanisms can be used by those at risk to offset their financial risk from flooding. Although these financial tools obviously do not prevent flooding, they allow recovery without placing undue financial burdens on those impacted by flood disasters.

Information Platforms

Before implementing DRR measures, coastal stakeholder should be informed about the different possible measures and their characteristics. There are several of existing website that provides such information. For the RISC-KIT Costal Management Guide expertise was drawn from such platforms. A selection of these will be presented below.

EXAMPLE: Vulnerability Assessment for Marin's Ocean Coast, California (USA)

In 2015, the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) published a Vulnerability Assessment based on information from technical advisors, utility managers, and West Marin residents. The Assessment summarizes the expected timing and extent of impacts, laying a foundation of knowledge to guide adaptation planning.

Vulnerability Assessment

A vulnerability assessment can be used as an informal spatial planning instrument to identify, quantify, and prioritize vulnerabilities in a system. In coastal areas effects of climate change can add additional pressure on these systems. A vulnerability assessment addresses these pressures and analyzes the risks and adaptation capacities to cope with these risks. Results are an important tool in regional and local spatial planning.

Public Participation Approaches in Implementing DRR Measures

Communication to and participation of the public is an important aspect of many planning processes, this also includes the development of DRR plans and strategic alternatives. This description is based on a project handbook that has been especially designed to support regional and local administrations in the planning and implementation of communication and public participation processes in flood prone areas. The findings of this report can also be applied to coastal areas.

Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA)

The Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) is one of the five tools used to assess the proposed measures in each of the RISC-KIT case studies with respect to criteria that capture the key dimensions of the decision-making process. The purpose of the MCA is to bridge the disciplinary divide between engineering sciences and social sciences, facilitate the communication and dissemination of project results to a broad audience, and to integrate scientific knowledge with local knowledge with the purpose of improving the assessment of coastal risks.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) is a methodology used to compare different approaches to achieve pre-defined adaptation targets. CEA can be used to analyse both technical or project oriented work and policy or programme approaches, providing comparisons and rankings of options with the same adaptation objective, or identifying the least cost combination of options.

EXAMPLE: Public participation in dyke construction, Timmendorfer Strand (GER)

The municipality of Timmendorfer Strand developed and implemented a coastal protection strategy using a participatory process. This process was a key element for the successful implementation of the measure. Although this measure was very expensive, a cost-benefit analysis shows that the benefits are higher than costs.