Graham Esson will discuss how improving access to information technology can help communities assess their own vulnerability and boost local planning for climate change adaptation.  As communities must become more self-reliant it is more cost-effective to improve communities' access to information and technology for participatory planning.  Modest investment will increase their ability to assess local vulnerability, strengthen their resilience & extend the reach of national adaptation plans.

Open-source GIS software is a valuable tool as it is widely available and accessible to communities.  A concerted effort to train more people to use it would help overcome a potential barrier to effective participatory mapping; although the high costs of licences for commercial GIS products puts them beyond the reach of most communities.  The discussion will look at how these tools can be used to engage the community in planning for its future.