Hamilton based CLIMsystems, has developed climate change assessment software for India. India is increasingly in the spotlight for its vulnerability and exposure to natural disasters that are driven by climate change. Food security, water supplies, infrastructure and health issues are just some of the main sectors that could be affected by longer term climate change and related extreme events such as droughts, floods and high and low temperatures.

“Often government agencies, NGOs and private industry ask ‘what can we do to assess risk and adapt our social, ecological and built environments for the dangers posed by climate change?’” says managing director Peter Urich. “CLIMsystems from New Zealand has been working for 15 years, through its research arm at the International Global Change Institute of the University of Waikato, to address these very issues.”

The unique software system the company has developed, called SimCLIM, has recently been released for India and is packed with useful and scientifically robust tools for assessing climate change impacts and adaptation options from a global to local scale.

The system is preloaded with a digital elevation model for India and each of its states and can be easily enhanced through the importation of geographic information system data in the form of shape and vector files.

SimCLIM is a customised geographic information system (GIS) that can be built for any area. The new version developed for India includes a study area of the whole country and individual areas for each state. The system supports the creation of different geographical areas as special study areas through the application of tools within the system. Also users with local data can either through their own initiative or with assistance from CLIMsystems import local high resolution digital elevation models and other digital data to produce a highly specialised system that suits their specific needs
As Professor Colin Woodroffe, an eminent coastal scientist commented, “SimCLIM enables examination of potential erosion and flooding in response to future climate scenarios including sea-level rise due to climate change, global warming as well as changes resulting from local land movements.” 

Other widely used impact models included in the SimCLIM system include the rainwater tank model. This innovative model allows the user to design rainwater catchment systems with consideration of not only the roof or other catchment area but also use rates, tank size, and critically, the impact of climate change on rainfall and hence rainwater harvesting potential.  There is also a shoreline erosion model that is linked with the sea level rise scenario generator.

CLIMsystems also maintains an educational version of the SimCLIM system called TrainCLIM. The software includes an array of hands-on educational modules that have been applied with huge success in countries around the world. The United Nations has used the software and modules to educate climate change leaders and universities around the world are using the package for educating the next generation in the implications and adaptation options that must be considered in the face of climate change.

The SimCLIM system has been widely applied and numerous country and regional versions are in use. The USA version is being used to assess sea level rise for the areas around Washington, DC and is also to be used in conjunction with Wallingford’s InfoWorks to model the storm and sewerage systems of the City of New York as the first stage in a comprehensive redevelopment and climate-proofing of the megacities vital infrastructure. SimCLIM has been used to map the climate risks posed to the most rapidly growing part of Australia, Southeast Queensland, and the outputs will form the basis for region-wide planning that shall incorporate vital elements of climate change and extreme events such as drought and flood.

The same SimCLIM technologies used around the world are now available for India.