tools

The AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use) Carbon Calculator is a tool that applies IPCC-based accounting methods, allowing users to estimate the CO2 benefits and potential climate impacts of various land-based project activities. These activities include forest protection, forest management, afforestation/reforestation, agroforestry, cropland management, grazing land management, forest degradation by fuelwood, and policy development. The calculator provides a transparent documentation of methods, assumptions, and underlying data, along with the associated sources of uncertainties, for each of these land management activities​​.

The AGNPS (Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model) is an advanced computer model used for predicting non-point source pollution and runoff in agricultural watersheds. Developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, it is particularly effective in evaluating soil erosion, nutrient runoff, and sediment transport resulting from various land use practices and management scenarios. AGNPS operates on a cell-based, distributed parameter approach, allowing for detailed spatial analysis of agricultural lands and the assessment of the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality. This model is widely used in environmental planning and management, providing critical insights for the development of strategies to mitigate non-point source pollution and enhance sustainable agricultural practices.

The ANSWERS (Areal Nonpoint Source Watershed Environment Response Simulation) model is a comprehensive tool for simulating and managing nonpoint source pollution in agricultural and urban watersheds. Initially developed in the 1980s, it has been widely used for assessing the impacts of land use changes, agricultural practices, and soil conservation measures on runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient transport. ANSWERS operates on a distributed-parameter basis, enabling detailed spatial analysis of watersheds to identify critical areas of pollution and evaluate the effectiveness of various management practices. This model is particularly valuable for environmental scientists, engineers, and planners in designing and implementing strategies to reduce nonpoint source pollution and promote sustainable watershed management.

The Aqueduct web tool utilizes cutting-edge data to identify and evaluate water risks globally. It employs open-source, peer-reviewed data to map various water risks, including floods, droughts, and water stress. This tool is instrumental in aiding companies, governments, and research partners to advance best practices in water resource management, thereby fostering sustainable growth in a water-constrained world​​​​. The most recent version offers a more robust analysis of water risks. It features granular data, higher resolution, new indicators, improved functionality, and access to underlying hydrological models, enhancing its utility for water risk assessment and management​​.

The CREAMS (Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems) model is a simulation tool designed for evaluating agricultural runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss. Developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, it's widely used to predict the environmental impact of agricultural practices, especially in terms of water quality and soil conservation. CREAMS operates on a field-scale basis, providing detailed analysis of surface runoff, sedimentation, nutrient cycling, and pesticide dynamics, making it an essential tool for researchers, farmers, and policymakers. This model aids in understanding the effects of different farming techniques and land management practices on the environment, thereby guiding the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices and effective soil and water conservation strategies.

The ENCORE tool (Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks, and Exposure) is designed to assist financial institutions in understanding their dependencies on and impacts on nature. It's a platform used by over 4,000 registered users, highlighting its relevance and utility in the financial sector​​. ENCORE focuses on identifying risks associated with the depletion of natural capital, and the dependencies and impacts of business activities. It leverages spatial data to help users comprehend these complex interactions, making it a valuable resource for businesses aiming to understand and mitigate their environmental impact​​.

The Nature-based Solutions (NbS) platform offers a comprehensive toolkit for managing and implementing nature-based projects. It lists prioritized NbS on the platform, providing practical tools for various stages of the project cycle​​. The NbS Platform is a tool to strengthen the environmental management capacities of multiple institutional actors, both in the public and the private sector. It seeks to facilitate access to information and contribute to the preparation, formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring of projects that positively impact comprehensive metrics associated with water security, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation

The Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) is an initiative established following the food crises of the early 1970s. It functions as a comprehensive system for monitoring and reporting on the global supply and demand of food, playing a pivotal role in providing information on food production and food security at national, regional, and global levels. GIEWS has become a leading authority on global food production, consumption, and trade, continuously assessing the overall food security situation in every country and alerting the world to potential food shortages​​​​​​.

The GUEST (Generalized Universal Soil Loss, Erosion, and Sedimentation) model is a sophisticated simulation tool designed for predicting soil erosion and sediment transport. It integrates various environmental factors, including topography, soil characteristics, land use, and climate conditions, to assess soil erosion risks and sediment yield in diverse landscapes. GUEST is widely utilized in environmental research and land management, providing valuable insights for developing effective soil conservation strategies, land use planning, and watershed management. The model's comprehensive approach to analyzing erosion and sedimentation processes makes it a crucial asset for researchers, policymakers, and land managers in their efforts to combat soil degradation and promote sustainable land use practices.

The "Handbook for Integrated Water Resources Management in Basins" is a practical guide designed for basin managers, government officials, and partners involved in water resources management. It aims to improve the governance of freshwater resources, specifically through the integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach in lakes, river basins, and aquifers. This handbook serves as a valuable resource for those involved in water resources management, providing them with practical guidance and complementing ongoing IWRM efforts at national and international levels​​​​​.

The HBV (Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning) model is a widely used hydrological model for simulating the flow and storage of water in a catchment area. Developed in Sweden in the 1970s, the HBV model has since been applied in various hydrological and climatological studies around the world due to its flexibility and effectiveness. It operates by dividing a catchment into different components such as snowpack, soil moisture, and runoff, and uses meteorological inputs like precipitation and temperature to simulate the hydrological processes. The model's strength lies in its ability to handle different types of data and its adaptability to different hydrological conditions, making it an essential tool for water resource management, flood forecasting, and climate change impact studies.

HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Modeling System), developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, is a versatile hydrologic modeling system designed to simulate the rainfall-runoff processes of dendritic watershed systems. It is extensively used for flood forecasting, designing flood control measures, and conducting hydrologic studies for watershed analysis. HEC-HMS's capabilities include modeling precipitation, evapotranspiration, infiltration, surface runoff, and river routing, making it a crucial tool for water resource engineers and planners in managing and understanding watershed dynamics.

HSPF (Hydrological Simulation Program—FORTRAN) is an analytical tool used to model the hydrological and water quality processes in watersheds. It provides a comprehensive, integrated simulation of land surface and streamflow processes, enabling the analysis of both non-point and point source pollution impacts on watersheds. HSPF is particularly effective for evaluating the effects of land use changes, climate variability, and various water management strategies on water quantity and quality in diverse watershed systems.

HydroBID is a hydrological modeling tool developed by the Inter-American Development Bank, designed to assess water resources availability and use in Latin America and the Caribbean. It models the water cycle and simulates water balance components, including precipitation, evapotranspiration, surface runoff, and groundwater flow, across large geographic scales. HydroBID is particularly useful for regional water resource planning and management, enabling decision-makers to evaluate the impacts of climate change, land use changes, and water management policies on water resources.

The IHACRES-WQ (Identification of unit Hydrographs And Component flows from Rainfall, Evaporation and Streamflow data-Water Quality) model is a hydrological modeling tool specifically designed to simulate and predict both water quantity and quality in catchments. It extends the capabilities of the original IHACRES model by incorporating water quality parameters, enabling the assessment of nutrient and pollutant transport alongside hydrological flow dynamics. This integration of water quantity and quality simulation makes IHACRES-WQ particularly valuable for managing catchment water resources and addressing environmental concerns related to water pollution. The model is widely used by environmental scientists and water resource managers for understanding the impacts of land use and climate changes on both the hydrology and water quality of river basins.

InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) is a tool suite developed by the Natural Capital Project for assessing the values of ecosystem services. It helps in quantifying, mapping, and valuing the ecological assets provided by landscapes and seascapes, such as water purification, flood protection, and carbon storage. InVEST models support sustainable decision-making by providing data-driven insights on how changes in ecosystems can impact human well-being and the environment, making it vital for planning and policy development.

The IQQM (Integrated Quantity and Quality Model) is a complex water management tool developed primarily for river and reservoir systems. It is designed to simulate and manage both the quantity and quality of water, making it essential for comprehensive water resource planning and allocation. IQQM's capabilities include modeling river flows, reservoir storages, and water extractions, as well as assessing the impacts of these factors on water quality parameters like salinity and temperature. This model is particularly useful for water resource managers and environmental planners in devising strategies for sustainable water use, ensuring water security, and maintaining ecological health in river basins and reservoir systems.

The IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is a framework developed to address societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security. It serves as a guide to ensure that investments in nature effectively contribute to the health and well-being of people and the planet, supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals​​. The standard defines NbS as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits​​​​. This standard includes a self-assessment framework comprising eight criteria and associated indicators, addressing the pillars of sustainable development (biodiversity, economy, and society) and resilient project management, guiding users in NbS applications and setting benchmarks for their progress​​.

The J2000 JAMS model is a process-based, distributed hydrological model used for simulating the complete water cycle in a catchment. It covers various hydrological processes, including precipitation, evapotranspiration, snowmelt, soil moisture dynamics, and runoff generation, making it suitable for complex hydrological studies and water resource management. The model is known for its flexibility and adaptability to different climatic and geographical conditions, allowing it to be applied in diverse regions for tasks such as flood prediction, drought analysis, and evaluating the impacts of climate change on water resources. J2000 JAMS's comprehensive approach to modeling the water cycle makes it a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners in the field of hydrology.

Lisem (Lisem Integrated Spatial Earth Modeller) is a free and open-source software tool that allows users to manipulate geo-spatial data. Featuring both simple operations and advanced algorithms, complex models can be developed. The tool features an internal scripting environment designed for easy data manipulation, a geospatial data viewer, and the LISEM model, which aims at simulation of Hydro-meteorological surface hazards. Additionally, the software comes with Python bindings that allow for interactions with other libraries and automization of code. Have a look at the documetion for more information on how to use and install LISEM.

MapShed is a comprehensive watershed modeling tool used for assessing nonpoint source pollution and watershed planning. It integrates GIS data and various environmental parameters to simulate hydrological processes, land surface interactions, and pollutant transport within a watershed. Notably, MapShed is capable of analyzing a wide range of data, including land use, soil characteristics, and meteorological conditions, to provide detailed insights into watershed health, nutrient loading, and sediment transport. This tool is particularly useful for environmental scientists and resource managers in developing strategies for water quality improvement, land management, and sustainable development within watershed areas.

Marxan is a conservation planning tool widely used for designing networks of protected areas to meet biodiversity conservation objectives efficiently. It employs algorithms to identify the most cost-effective solution in achieving conservation goals, considering factors like species distribution, habitat types, and land use costs. Marxan is particularly renowned for its application in systematic conservation planning, helping decision-makers balance ecological goals with economic and social considerations, ensuring that conservation efforts are both effective and practical.

The MIKE hydrological model suite, developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI), is a comprehensive set of water modeling tools used for a wide range of applications in water environments. It includes various modules for simulating hydrodynamics, hydrology, waves, water quality, and sediment transport, among others, making it highly versatile for different types of water-related studies and management plans. The MIKE models are widely recognized for their robustness and accuracy in predicting and analyzing hydrological and hydraulic phenomena, and they are extensively used in both academic research and practical applications such as flood management, urban water planning, and climate change impact assessment. This suite of tools is valuable for experts and decision-makers in understanding complex water systems and developing effective water management strategies.

The "Naturally Resilient Communities" tool is an informative platform offering a range of natural tools to mitigate natural hazards, allowing users to select the most suitable options based on their specific needs. It is an online guide focusing on nature-based solutions to address various coastal hazards, providing tailored nature-based infrastructure approaches for issues like stormwater flooding or erosion control. This interactive website also enables users to explore successful examples of nature-based solutions, facilitating the envisioning and implementation of resilient and connected futures through these methods​​​​​​.

The NBS Benefits Explorer is a web-based tool developed to serve as a key starting point for organizations looking to invest in nature-based solutions (NBS), and for those wishing to learn more about benefit identification and accounting. The tool's primary uses include understanding the full range of NBS benefits, exploring relevant interventions and activities by habitat, and identifying indicators and calculation methods for quantifying benefits​​. It provides a high-level overview of NBS activities, highlighting the importance of local context and needs in undertaking and assessing these activities. The tool focuses on direct activities with clear links to processes and benefits, including habitat-specific activities​

The prioritizr package is an R library designed for systematic conservation planning, providing tools for solving complex conservation problems. It offers a flexible and powerful interface for creating and solving conservation planning problems, allowing users to customize objectives, actions, and constraints based on specific conservation needs. The package integrates with the broader R ecosystem, enabling efficient data handling and spatial analysis, and is particularly useful for researchers and conservation practitioners who require a robust and adaptable tool for prioritizing conservation actions and resources.

RiOS (Resource Investment Optimization System), a tool from the Natural Capital Project, is designed for optimizing investments in watershed services. It assists in identifying the most cost-effective areas for implementing conservation and restoration activities to improve water quality and quantity. RiOS uses spatial data to prioritize investment locations based on their potential to provide ecosystem services, thereby aiding decision-makers in maximizing the impact of their resource allocation for watershed management.

ROOT (Restoration Opportunities Optimization Tool), developed by the Natural Capital Project, is a decision-support tool designed to identify the most beneficial areas for ecosystem restoration. It evaluates potential restoration sites based on their capacity to provide multiple ecosystem services, such as carbon storage, water filtration, and biodiversity conservation. ROOT is particularly useful for maximizing the ecological and economic benefits of restoration activities by prioritizing areas that offer the greatest return on investment in terms of ecosystem service enhancement.

The RORB model is a widely-used hydrologic and hydraulic modeling tool, primarily focused on runoff routing and catchment modeling. Developed in Australia, it is particularly effective for flood estimation and catchment analysis, making it a critical tool in flood management and water resource planning. RORB's capabilities include rainfall-runoff simulations, estimation of peak discharges, and hydrograph analysis, which are essential for understanding flood behavior and designing appropriate flood mitigation strategies. This model is appreciated for its user-friendly interface and adaptability to a variety of catchment conditions, allowing engineers and hydrologists to effectively model and analyze hydrological processes in different environments.

SIGA-CAL is a distributed model primarily designed for the analysis and simulation of the hydro-sedimentological and water quality behavior of river basins. It integrates various hydrological processes such as precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, and runoff, making it effective for water resource planning and management. The model is particularly valued for its ability to simulate both surface and subsurface hydrological dynamics, sediments, vegetation growth and basic determinants of water quality, providing a comprehensive understanding in complex river basin systems. 

The Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) tool, developed as a GIS application, is designed to assess, map, and quantify the perceived social values of ecosystem services. It specifically evaluates the perceived, nonmarket values that the public assigns to ecosystem services, focusing on cultural services such as aesthetics and recreation. SolVES distinguishes different stakeholder groups based on their attitudes and preferences regarding public uses and derives a quantitative social-values metric from both spatial and nonspatial responses to public value and preference surveys​​.

SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) is a comprehensive, river basin-scale model widely used for simulating the impact of land management practices in large, complex watersheds. It helps in predicting how changes in land use, land management practices, and climate affect water, sediment, nutrient, and pesticide yields. SWAT is particularly valuable for its versatility in addressing various watershed management questions, including agricultural planning, pollution control, and climate change adaptation.

The TETIS model is a dynamic, distributed hydrological model used for simulating and predicting hydrological processes in river basins. It integrates various hydrological components, including precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and surface and sub-surface runoff, providing a comprehensive understanding of water flows and storage within a catchment. Developed for applications in flood forecasting, water resources management, and environmental impact assessments, TETIS is notable for its ability to incorporate complex terrain and land-use data, making it particularly useful in areas with varied topography and land use patterns. This versatility allows for accurate and detailed hydrological predictions, essential for effective water management and disaster risk reduction strategies.

Think Hazard is a web-based platform designed to help non-specialists evaluate the impacts of natural disasters on new development projects. It enables users to quickly and effectively assess various hazards like river floods, earthquakes, droughts, cyclones, coastal floods, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides within their project areas, aiding in project planning and design​​​​.

The ThinkNature Nature-Based Solutions Handbook is a comprehensive guide focused on nature-based solutions for addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It emphasizes using natural processes and ecosystems for sustainable urbanization, climate change adaptation, and ecosystem restoration. The handbook also highlights the importance of these solutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating their role in improving urban well-being, coastal resilience, and watershed management.

The NbS Platform is a tool developed by TNC and Ecopetrol to strengthen the environmental management capacities of multiple institutional actors, both in the public and the private sector. It seeks to facilitate access to information and contribute to the preparation, formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring of projects that positively impact comprehensive metrics associated with water security, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation

TOPMODEL (Topography-based Hydrological Model) is a semi-distributed, physically based hydrological model primarily used for simulating watershed hydrology and runoff processes. The model is particularly noted for its representation of the variable saturation process in catchments, integrating topographic index and soil moisture dynamics to predict streamflow and groundwater levels. TOPMODEL's approach is based on the principle that topography largely controls the distribution of soil moisture and thus, the generation of runoff in a watershed. This makes it an effective tool for flood forecasting, water resource management, and environmental impact studies, especially in regions where topography plays a crucial role in hydrological processes.

The VIC (Variable Infiltration Capacity) model is a widely-used hydrologic model that simulates land surface processes in large, complex watersheds. It's particularly notable for its detailed representation of soil moisture and energy fluxes, making it effective for studying the impacts of land use changes and climate variability on water availability. The model operates on a grid-based framework, allowing for spatially distributed simulations of hydrological processes such as evapotranspiration, runoff, and soil moisture dynamics. This capability makes the VIC model a valuable tool for water resource managers and climate scientists in analyzing hydrological responses to environmental changes and for making informed decisions on water management and climate adaptation strategies.

The Water Funds Toolbox is a resource developed by experts in Water Funds, aimed at addressing global water insecurity. It is designed to assist leaders in establishing and managing Water Funds, organizations that take collective action towards mitigating water insecurity​​. Water Funds are instrumental in enabling downstream water users, such as cities, businesses, and utilities, to invest in upstream land management. This investment is crucial for improving water quality and quantity, ultimately yielding long-term benefits for both people and nature​​. The toolbox offers access to state-of-the-art knowledge on how to scope, design, and operate Water Funds, equipping users with the necessary tools and information for effective water management​​.

The WWF Water Risk Filter is a comprehensive online tool designed to help companies and investors explore, assess, and respond to water risks. It serves as a corporate and portfolio-level screening tool, prioritizing action to address water risks and enhance business resilience while contributing to a sustainable future​​.

Waterplan is a comprehensive climate platform designed to measure, respond to, and report on increasingly changing water risks. It features the world's most advanced dynamic water risk framework, which is fully automated and based on state-of-the-art research. This framework integrates satellite imagery, meteorological data, and modeling to provide high-resolution information across various aspects such as physical risks (including floods, scarcity, and quality), infrastructure, regulatory, and reputational risks, and is updated monthly with global, up-to-site-level resolution​​​​.

WaterProof is a high-level ROI (Return on Investment) assessment tool, designed to provide stakeholders interested in Nature-based Solutions with a pre-feasibility / indicative assessment regarding NbS potential. It helps businesses, governments, and other stakeholders to quantify the financial returns and water savings from implementing Nature based solutions for water. The tool is particularly valuable for guiding decision-makers in prioritizing water conservation measures, understanding the cost-effectiveness of different strategies, and promoting more sustainable water use practices.

WaterWorld is a policy support system and hydrological modeling tool designed to analyze water-related issues at global and local scales. It provides a platform for assessing the impacts of climate and land use changes on water resources, sediment, and carbon in basins and regions around the world. WaterWorld is notable for its ability to function with minimal data inputs, making it particularly useful for exploring water-related scenarios and informing policy in data-scarce regions.

WEAP (Water Evaluation And Planning system) is a user-friendly software tool that simulates water resources and evaluates water demand, supply, and allocation in watersheds and river basins. It allows users to assess different water management and development scenarios, including the impacts of climate change, population growth, and changes in land use. WEAP is designed for integrated water resources planning, providing a comprehensive framework for policy analysis and decision-making, particularly in the context of sustainable water management and adaptation strategies.

The WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model is a process-based, continuous simulation model primarily used for predicting soil erosion by water. Developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, WEPP applies advanced physical-based algorithms to simulate the complex interactions of rainfall impact, surface runoff, and soil properties in determining erosion rates. This model is essential for land use planning, conservation practice design, and natural resource management, as it allows for the assessment and prediction of erosion under various land management scenarios. Its adaptability to different scales, from field to watershed level, and its capability to evaluate the effectiveness of erosion control measures make WEPP a valuable tool for researchers, land managers, and policymakers in addressing soil erosion challenges.