Systemic Climate Risk Mapping in Rural Municipalities: A Semantic-GIS Framework for Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Planning

Rural municipalities face increasing climate risks, yet lack systemic, resilience-oriented tools to assess multi-dimensional vulnerabilities and support evidence-based adaptation planning. This study presents a transferable climate risk assessment model integrating causal network analysis, stakeholder input, and spatial data. Using Freudenstadt (southwestern Germany) as a case study, the approach maps interdependencies across municipal systems, translates climate, socioeconomic, and spatial indicators into measurable nodes within a systemic network, and applies graph metrics to identify critical pathways shaping vulnerability. Embedding the model into a Geographic Information System (GIS) enables spatially explicit risk mapping and resilience planning by revealing hazard-prone zones and cross-sectoral dependencies. Its modular structure supports evidence-based decisions, context-sensitive strategy transfer,and comparative resilience planning.