Frequently asked questions

General questions Question: What does ci:grasp stand for?
Answer: ci:grasp stands for "Climate Impacts: Global & Regional Adaptation Support Platform".
Question: What is ci:grasp all about?
Answer: Please have a look at our pages About ci:grasp and Main features to get some background information about our project.
Question: Where can I find information on terms I don't understand?
Answer: Please have a look into our Glossary for more information.
Question: Where can I find relevant literature used for ci:grasp?
Answer: Please have a look into our bibliography.
Adaptation projects & project contributions
Question: Who can contribute projects to ci:grasp?
Answer: Everybody. Signup to ci:grasp and create your projects through our web form.
Question: Why can't I find my project on the website after it was submitted?
Answer: In order to guarantee a certain quality, each project has to go through a review process. Once there is sufficient information, the project will be switched to 'pending' mode automatically after saving, which means we can see it and review the information. We will then either 'accept' the project and move it into the database for all users or give you some feedback on how to improve the content.
Question: What do you mean by the different project types?
Answer: We distinguish the following types of projects:
  • Assessment report - Evaluations of e.g. exposure or adaptation needs in a specific region for a specific sector.
  • Building/installing structure - Measures that includes a physical structure as a result: e.g. building a dyke to protect the coast.
  • Communication - Measures that increase information and knowledge: e.g. awareness raising of target group; participatory approaches.
  • Coordination - Management and coordination of (already existent) regional projects, e.g. efficient spreading of resources.
  • Incentive Structure - Measures that promote and enable small-scale and individual adaptation through specific motivations, e.g. crop insurance schemes or grants for sustainable farming practices.
  • Natural Resource Management - Measure that aim at improved management of natural resources to deal with climate change impacts, e.g. Mangrove reforestation to protect coastal areas.
  • Regulation/Law - Regulations and laws that regulate a specific behavior or actions related to climate change and adaptation, e.g. laws for restricted water use.
  • Relocation - Measures that entail moving population or structures (e.g. production sites) to reduce the environmental pressures.
  • Technical Advice - Measures that include the dissemination of technical information to increase knowledge on techniques, e.g. training to build and use simple pumps or wind generators.
  • Training - Training of relevant actors to understand and deal with to improve knowledge on the consequences of climate change and reactions to it, e.g. training of land use planners
Question: How do you define the different spatial scales?
Answer: We distinguish the following spatial scales:
  • local - A project that aims at adaptation on a town-hall level or lower
  • regional - A project to adapt on a province-level or within a catchment area
  • national - A country-wide adaptation project
  • transboundary - A project that involves more than one country
  • global - A worldwide adaptation project
Question: How do you understand the different project states?
Answer: We distinguish the following project states:
  • implemented: the active project phase is finished and the measure is in place
  • implementation running: the project is under active development
  • planned: there are concrete plans to start the project implementation
  • potential: the project plan could be implemented, but there are no concrete plans to do so
Question: Our projects have a sub-national coverage (e.g. 15 states), but I can't specify this spatial scale in the form.
Answer: To keep the platform manageable we have reduced categories to what we have now. I would suggest to apply the category 'regional' in this case, but make the scope explicit in the description of the measure. This is where the detailed information should go, that makes the measure unique and demonstrative to other users. The categories are more for a first screening and filtering.
Question: I can't find a definition for stimuli on the website. In this context I am asking why drought is a stimulus, but not floods. Are they not both impacts of rainfall variability?
Answer: Many definitions of important terms can be found in our Glossary. Should you find important terms we have not included there please let us know, so we can add them! We consider a stimulus to be "A climate-related variable that can cause impacts on human activities and the environment", therefore also derived stimuli, such as drought, are considered. However, we have currently only included a limited set of stimuli in the platform to choose from. I will discuss whether, when and how we will implement other stimuli and get back to you with the information. Until then I would ask you to choose the relevant primary stimulus (in the case of floods precipitation) and add the additional information in the 'comments' field, so the information is available and can be added once the necessary fields have been included.
Question: Is it possible to edit a draft online?
Answer: Yes, absolutely. You only need a title for the measure, then you can save it as a draft and edit it whenever you want. Once there is sufficient information, the project will be switched to 'pending' mode automatically after saving, which means we can see it and review the information. We will then either 'accept' the project and move it into the database for all users or give you some feedback on how to improve the content. So please go ahead and register and submit your projects. You will be able to edit your own projects in all the different stages of their submission.
Question: Is it possible to add options under stimulus or impacts?
Answer: You can currently choose several stimuli and impacts from the available menu. It is not possible to add additional ones as a user, as all stimuli and impacts are connected via impact chains, so interrelations between elements of all layers of the platform can be shown. We welcome your feedback on additional stimuli and impacts, so we can extent the scope of the platform. So please add any additional points in the comments field and if you have any suggestions please let us know
Climate models
Question: What is a Global Circulation Model?
Answer: 1. A Global Circulation Model is a representation of the climate system based on the mathematical equations governing the behavior of the various components of the system and including treatment of key physical processes and interactions, cast in a form suitable for numerical approximation making use of computers. (taken from National Snow and Ice Data Center)

2. Numerical models (General Circulation Models or GCMs), representing physical processes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and land surface, are the most advanced tools currently available for simulating the response of the global climate system to increasing greenhouse gas concentrations (IPCC, IPCC)
Question: What is the difference between the provided scenarios?
Answer: A1B-Scenario: The A1 scenario family describes a future world of very rapid economic growth, global population that peaks in mid-century and declines thereafter, and the rapid introduction of new and more efficient technologies. The A1B scenario portray a balanced use of different energy sources.

B1-Scenario: The emphasis is on global solutions to economic, social and environmental sustainability, including improved equity, but without additional climate initiatives.

A2-Scenario: The A2 storyline and scenario family describes a very heterogeneous world. Economic development is primarily regionally oriented and per capita economic growth and technological change more fragmented and slower than other storylines.