Impact Data Catalogue

From the point of view of adaptation and insurance, not only hazard data are important, but also data on impacts. Natural hazards trigger a cascade of impacts that begin in the geophysical realm, altering hydrologic cycles and soil conditions. These alterations cause ecosystem changes, affecting for example biomass production and essential ecosystem services. Ultimately, the environmental changes impact the man-made environment, for example damaging infrastructure and agriculture, or human beings, for example through health effects.

Any effect following from the original hazard can be termed impact. Different experts and actors apply different distinctions between hazards and impacts. For a climate scientist, a change in river discharge can be understood as an impact, whereas for an insurer, a change in the probability of exceedance of certain water levels in flood prone areas or a change in value at risk is an impact.

As there are differences in the definition of impact, we can distinguish several levels of impact data (Table 1). Table 1 provides an overview starting from a basic level (1) where only damage proneness is indicated, via initial impact probabilities (2) and volume indications of physical impacts on economic assets (3) to more precise physical and monetary damage inventories (4). Data regarding impacts on the insurance sector itself (5) are important for management of the sector and for supervision of financial stability of the sector. Levels 6 and 7 have not been considered in PIISA, as these are less relevant for insurance products. Broader well-being effects and macro-economic effects do play an important role in comprehensive adaptation planning.

Table 2 presents a selection of publicly accessible impact data sets related to the hazards explored in the five PIISA pilots. Some have been used in a PIISA pilot, others are relevant additional options. Some data sets are only offered in the national language, while others also offer an option in English. The emphasis is on datasets that enable representation in maps. Many of the selected datasets allow downloads for the user’s own analysis. The level refers to the impact levels as defined in Table 1.

Of the indices presented in the Risk indices tab, the Yield Loss Drought Index and Standardized Windstorm Index can provide information on (projected) impacts at level 3. The other indices hover between levels 1 and 2.