Research objectives
The CLAVE project seeks to provide new insights with regard to scientific and practical climate change adaptation options. At the end of the three-year-funding-period, the overall products of the research group will be:
(1) An enhanced analytical concept of urban vulnerability to climate related hazards, including a set of operable vulnerability indicators, representative for Latin American megacities.
(2) A proposal for climate change adaptation options at the local level in order to reduce vulnerabilties.
(3) As an important outcome for scientific and practical purposes, the research group aims at developing a book that includes individual chapters for all selected municipalities.
The overall work of the research group is led by the question of how to adapt cities to climate change. The research focus lies on gaining further insights to vulnerabilities of individuals and the adaptive capacity of municipalities regarding the impacts of climate related hazards. Major parts of the research are carried out in Santiago, although other cities in Latin America (mainly Buenos Aires, Bogotá and Lima) are also study regions.
The involved institutes collaborate to enlarge the existing database of vulnerability indicators developed in the context of the 
ClimateAdaptationSantiago (CAS) project, by taking two main concepts into account: urban fragmentation and urban vulnerability. In doing so, an applied model of vulnerability in mega-urban environments will be established.
Working with specific ”hot spot” areas, allows for identifying context-specific problems and needs and will result in the development of adequate response options.
