The PIEVC Protocol for Assessing Public Infrastructure Vulnerability to Climate Change Impacts: National and International Application

Abstract

The Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) Protocol was developed by Engineers Canada in partnership with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), between 2005 and 2012. The PIEVC Protocol is a structured, rigorous qualitative process to assess the risks and vulnerabilities of individual infrastructures or infrastructure systems to current and future extreme weather events and climatic changes. It has been used to assess various types and scales of infrastructure in Canada as well as Costa Rica, Honduras, Brazil, Vietnam and the Nile Basin. More than 100 assessments have been completed and others are underway. An important component of the PIEVC Program is the “Project Assessment Report” that presents the results of the application of the PIEVC Protocol, including conclusions and recommendations for climate adaptation actions to improve climate resilience. The types of recommendations include not only engineering-related to design, operations and maintenance, but also extend to health and safety, policy, procedural and management actions including more in depth study and analysis of particular risks or engineering vulnerabilities.