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Table 4 – ICTs contribution to the integration of adaptation into development strategies

ICT categories Integration of
adaptation into development strategies

(a) ICTs for enhanced disaster risk ICTs can help to strengthen vulnerability and
management risk assessments in susceptible locations in the
city (e.g., through the use of GIS and modeling
techniques), as well as to improve indicators
and data collection.

(b) ICTs to improve city resilience and adaptive ICTs can help to gather city‐specific evidence on
capacity adaptation practices (e.g., using satellite and
mobile‐based applications) and to highlight
their impact on vulnerability reduction.

(c) ICT‐based adaptation informed decision ICTs can help to strengthen institutional and
making capacity development (e.g., through online
training, improved knowledge access) to inform
the implementation of sectoral and local
programmes.

4 Framework for ICTs' integration in cities climate

change adaptation plans

After the identification of the role that ICTs can play in the development of cities adaptation
initiatives, it is important to provide a framework to foster the inclusion of ICTs into cities climate
change adaptation policies and plans.

As mentioned in section 2, according to the UNFCCC, the key elements for an urban adaptation
process include: 1) laying the groundwork & addressing gaps; 2) preparatory elements; 3)
implementation strategies and 4) reporting monitoring and review. Within this framework, the first
step to integrating ICTs into urban adaptation processes entails merging the specific ICTs roles
identified before (section 3) during the conceptualization of climate change adaptation plans. This
framework should be built upon several components, which may include: a transectoral vision of
urban adaptation planning, an assessment of climate change risks and vulnerabilities in cities,
pointing out the key role of ICT and a cross‐sectoral adaptation policy process. Recognizing the
benefits of ICTs for climate change adaptation in cities will facilitate the integration of ICT tools and
services in support to their policies.

The framework for ICTs' integration for cities adaptation planning should follow "the one step at the
time approach". The steps have been established based on the suggested policy cycle suggested by
the UNFCCC steps for climate adaptation, described as follows. In this sense, the proposed
framework for integrating ICTs into cities can have the following steps.

572 ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications